3/1 To Win
Derby County Community Trust is inviting Rams fans to do something incredible in Kenya.
The Community Trust has been taking part in the 'Rams in Kenya' trip for the past seven years, seeing the initiative grow from 13 volunteers on the first visit to 73 back in July. Over 300 volunteers have now taken part across the seven trips.
The 'Rams in Kenya' visits are organised in partnership with African Adventures and take place throughout May and June each year. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to join to contribute to the development of the sites in the Ronda Slums of Nakuru.
Due to the amazing growth of the trip over the seven years it has been in operation, the scheme now works with four partner projects - Jubilee, Ungana, Cherish and Mama Kerry schools - where work has continued from previous visits.
Across the projects, volunteers spend their time funding the installation of running water, building classrooms, providing resources, supporting teachers and completing maintenance and site improvement.
This year, at Jubilee, a new secure library was built with enlarged windows to ensure a more comfortable learning environment, whilst all existing classrooms and the kitchen were repainted. As well as this, foundations were dug for five new classrooms and books were supplied for all six of the year groups.
Work began on an outer classroom at Ungana on the sixth 'Rams in Kenya' trip last year and this was completed this time around, whilst the school gates were repaired and painted, as well as being supplied with two stronger locks. Guttering was also added to two classrooms, with the pipes feeding into a 500-litre tank.
The volunteers were in Kenya on 1st June for Madaraka Day – a national holiday that commemorates the day that the country attained self-rule – and a special meal was provided for pupils as well as activities for the children.
Madaraka is Swahili for ‘responsibility, power and governance’, and children and staff at Cherish were also provided with a special meal as well as treats on the holiday. Food was provided to cater for 109 kids for over two months, whilst building began on two new classrooms. A block of seven toilets was also funded and work began on a new water tank that will allow children to wash their hands properly after use.
Running water was installed at Mama Kerry and a new classroom that was built included guttering to a new water tank, which was kindly funded by the Riverside School in Loughborough. Teaching and sports coaching was provided for the children and a brand-new kitchen was built, including work surfaces, a sink, a clay oven, serving hatch and chimney. Clothing, shoes and stationary were distributed to the children and a talk was delivered on female hygiene, with girls being provided with sanitary products.
Volunteers also get the opportunity to take part in the Rift Valley Adventure Day which is a visit to the Nakuru National Safari, Thompson Falls and The Equator. There is also the chance to visit the Menengai Crater, an elephant orphanage and the giraffe manor in Nairobi.
Facilitated by African Adventures, the trip benefits the Derby County Community Trust and also the impoverished areas around Nakuru, in Kenya.
Every volunteer is tasked with raising the below amounts which cover flights, transfers, accommodation and three meals per day, plus a contribution towards the Community Trust’s programmes at home and the Kenyan school projects.
- Two-week option = £2,680 per person – departing 18th May 2019 *
- One-week option = £1,980 per person – departing 25th May 2019 *
No formal skills or experience are necessary to join the trip, just enthusiasm, commitment and a desire and willingness to help.
A full information pack on the 2019 trip can be found here: Derby County Community Trust Information Sheet 2019.
Derby County Community Trust will be holding a no obligation information evening on Thursday 13th September from 7pm-8:30pm at Pride Park Stadium.
To register your interest in attending, or if you simply require more information, please fill in the form here.
If you have ever considered or wanted to do something like this, please ask or come along, it really is a chance of a lifetime!
