Diana Anyango Otieno mother died and later her stepmother forced her into an early marriage at the age of 16yrs. The stepmother was charged by the courts and Diana was brought to the orphanage. She is back at school studying to go to university and train to be a nurse.

Education it is the driving force of economy and the essential preparation for adult life. I am seeing, first hand, the struggles and sacrifices parents make in a genuine attempt to better the lives of their children through education here in rural Africa. Once I was part of the same experience, disappointing my own parents in not taking the opportunity that I was given. However, as parents we made sacrifices, educating my own daughter, Georgina; giving her the very best we could provide, as do a great numbers of parents/grandparents. In the UK we have so much more… In Kenya they have far more challenges including share one book among…

I am no longer painter, there ended up being more paint on the floor, myself and the children! I have a new vocation, as a Teacher, and have been invited around the local schools to give motivational talks about the real benefits of education, and generally discuss modern life in UK and the developed world, which stimulated lots of questions. The Kenyan Government funds schooling (to a point). For example, the government supplies 8 teachers and parents chip in to fund the other 2 or 3 as necessary. By law, many schools supplement their income by creative means including have a dairy cow or two, growing crops (usually maize), charging…

In the orphanage there are plenty of chickens with chicks running around and two cows. The larger of the two cows is white and black with “horns”! Fortunately I am not frightened of cows so when the big one decided to have a closer look at me to the amazement of staff and kids I patted its head. What nobody bothered to tell me was this cow was aggressive and had a particular dislike of Mgenis’! It was approaching to attack, as it tried to headbutt me (technically -gore me) and having no cape I grabbed both horns for self protection and hung on really tightly. I proceeded to get…

Collins Omondi Onyango lost both parents; father died before he was born and his mother was found dead with him feeding on her milk.. Initially he was cared for by his Grandmother, who sacrificed a lot for him. Due to circumstances it was best that he was admitted into the orphanage. On arrival he was very cold and sad, always shivering; after about a month he started to be happy. During this brief period his grandmother died. Collins is dedicated to looking after animals, helping with the cows and goats. He enjoys school and want to study at University. He plans to be a farmer.

I experienced the Equator water test; and confirm that I witnessed (with my own eyes, not theory) 10 ft north of the equator when you pull the plug the water goes clockwise and just 10ft south of the equator the water goes anti clockwise. The Coriolis effect makes water drain counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere but clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. On the Equator, no movement occurs, the water goes straight down the hole. Well… not quite. The trick is ‘how’ you pour water in and the shape of the vessel, not the hemisphere you are in!!! The enterprising local’s first container of water was motionless before the plug was…

Moses Ochieng at the tender age of 18 months, was found abandoned at Yala railway station. He was sat crying, with his clothes stuffed in a paper bag next to him. Children’s officer found him there, picked him up and took him to the hospital for treatment. Coughing, running nose and rashes over his body. He was brought to the orphanage 18th April 2014, he was very weak and unable to stand. On arrival promptly drank 3 cups of water! After a short time he felt loved, at home and started playing. The children at the orphanage named him Moses because of how he was found, resembling the story from…

Linet Adiambo Ochiege was found on her way to visit an Auntie in Nairobi; she had be given only 400 shilingis which is insufficient and was made to get off the bus in Nakuru. The police found her adrift on the streets, they put her in prison for 2 months while they made a futile attempt to find her immediate family or any relatives.. Linet was brought back to her local area and was admitted into the orphanage; at the start she was stubborn but after a short while happily settled in. She wants to be a Tailor. *Footnote > The distance to Nairobi is 450km, Nakuru is approx 300km;…

Living Among Extreme Poverty opened my eyes to how easily I getting bogged down with self-centred worries over my perceived position in modern society (size of my car/house/job title etc.). Yet, I do and will always enjoy material benefits including a hot shower, a Starbucks, electricity 24 x 7 and more (inc. car / home). Speaking for myself, I have found that an extreme challenge, climbing a mountain or helping others, creates changes in me in varying degrees, some little and some bigger. Certainly each small step alters my perspective of my place in this world. I notice that I am like a recent non-smoker who doesn’t want to smoke…

Sharon Apiyo was brought to the orphanage at the age of 6yrs after mother died. Her father is an active alcoholic. When Sharon was admitted she had really bad Jiggers and insecticide had to use to remove them. Enthusiastic at school and wants to be a teacher. *Jiggers is the local name for a flea size parasite that lays eggs in our flesh, the eggs grow in numbers and seriously irritate.