Maintain Hope relaunches volunteer programme

Mathare slum in Ngong. Image Maintain Hope.

In July this year we will be relaunching our volunteer programme, writes Gerry O'Donoghue of Maintain Hope. Twelve volunteers, including from Kilcullen, Conor Williams, Esther Reddy, Aisling Dooley, Bróna Dooley, Daniel Gaffney and myself will be travelling to Ngong to engage with the children and families we care for. 

We aim to build capacity within the families, community and schools in Ngong and surrounding areas. We will be gathering the younger children together for Summer Camp activities with music, drama, dancing and swimming on the timetable. As well as an important role in the rehabilitation and wellness of the children, the Summer Camp will be an opportunity to assess the health and nutritional needs of each child. We will be engaging with the schools which our children attend so that jointly we can devise strategies aimed at achieving the best outcomes for the children. An important part of our mission will be to strengthen links within the local community and to liaise with local authorities in implementing the Kenyan Government strategy on support for vulnerable children. 

We currently support 82 children and young adults. The older children and young adults were former street children, which means that they lived and slept unsupported in the streets of Nairobi and its sub townships. Ngong Township is the centre of our area. While these children were not necessarily all orphans, (80pc of children in orphanages worldwide have at least one living parent), they were  forced to survive on the streets because of various factors. Some suffered physical and sexual abuse, some were unable to cope with school, some had alcoholic or otherwise addicted parents. Some were shunned because of HIV, while others were escaping from encounters with the police. Many ended up in gangs and others were trafficked into unregulated orphanages where their circumstances were exploited to attract donations for the orphanage directors. The younger children in our programme have been rescued from the potential of similar outcomes. 

One of the families supported by Maintain Hope lives in this house.

Maintain Hope has intervened to prevent family breakdowns by providing food, medicine and shelter so that children can grow up in their families and communities. We provide counselling and mentoring for young adults. We currently support young adults who are studying computer science, nursing, business and marketing, catering and hotel management. We also have children in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. 
Every time we visit Kenya we gather as many of our families as possible together for outings and celebrations. On Sundays we go for lunch and a swim and celebrate birthdays and achievements and their parents can meet and support each other.. The  mutual support of the parents is one of the most gratifying of unexpected consequences. This support for each other has been really effective, especially when children have died which unfortunately has happened over the years. Thankfully all the children are well at the moment though some have been weakened by bouts of typhoid

A series of fundraising events is currently underway including an Easter Bunny Raffle in Berney's Chemists and a raffle for €300 worth of Image Skincare and Bellamianta tanning products on the Maintain Hope iDonate page. Our annual Street Collection will take place on Good Friday and Saturday 18-19 April. On Saturday morning, April 19 between 7.30am-8.30am Warrior Wellness will be hosting “Yoga in the Garden” in the beautiful surroundings of Kalbarri. Cash donations or donations through our QR code will be accepted on the day. 

An adventurous sponsored walk has been planned for Saturday 25 May. Led by Frank Mitchell the walk will traverse the Glenealo Horseshoe, the most scenic walk in Wicklow. The walk, while challenging, is suitable for family groups and Sponsorship Cards can be had from Esther Reddy 087 9450634, David Dempsey on 086 0526762 or Gerry O’Donoghue on 087 2642887. 

Finally you can support us in a less strenuous way by attending the Gala Night of the Lieutenant of Inishmore courtesy of Kilcullen Drama Group on Friday 25 April.

As always we are very grateful for all the support which we have received in the past and it is this generosity which has enabled us to lift children out of poverty and give them the opportunities which we would wish for our own children. 

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