Maintain Hope appeal
There was never a time when the name of our charity was more fitting, writes Gerry O'Donoghue of Maintain Hope. Everybody reading this article is struggling to manage and to find ways of coping with the crisis facing us. We never depended on each other as much as we do now but the worst of circumstances has brought out the best in us. An old army friend, speaking in the context of overseas deployment, often said that when you squeeze people, you see what they are made of. We are all being squeezed now.
In Kenya, there are no safety nets and our families are struggling. The schools are reopening after a prolonged lockdown and we need to help 62 children and young adults to return to school. Our funds are severely depleted, but not because of a lack of support or generosity. It’s simply because there is no mechanism by which we and our supporters can connect with each other. No concerts, no book sales, no collections.
We are appealing to readers to consider supporting us by making a direct donation to our funds. Supporters might consider making a monthly donation of any amount that they can spare by setting up a standing order. You might consider using a birthday or family occasion to raise funds for us.
We urgently need funds for 60 pairs of shoes and socks and 50 uniforms. A pair of shoes cost 2,000 Kenyan shillings or €20, and a primary school uniform costs €30. We also need funds for our school food appeal to make sure that our children have at least one cooked nutritious meal every day.
We have come this far through your generosity and we cannot give up now. Please, please help if you can. There is always hope.
Maintain Hope is regulated by the Charities Regulator for Ireland. Registered Number 20155797. Our Trustees are Esther Reddy, David Dempsey and Gerry O’Donoghue.
Our bank details are — Account Name: Maintain Hope. Bank of Ireland. Main Street, Newbridge, Co Kildare. IBAN Number: IE56 BOFI 9012 6339 6568 16; BIC Number: BOFIIE 2D; National Sort Code: 901263.
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