Kenyan visitor at St Peter's

Eleanor Chapman from St Peter's Church has visited the Mathare Valley twice and her visits and fundraising have been reported in the Observer.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Sep 2007, 19:28 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 20:21 BST

Mathare Valley, near Nairobi, is the worst slum in Kenya. 4,500 has already been sent through fundraising at St Peter's and Eleanor has also encouraged more people to sponsor a child, which includes education costs.

On Wednesday 19 September St Peter's welcomed Bishop Daniel Ogutu and his wife Magdaline to a special evening. The Ogutus lead Community Outreach in the Mathare Valley, and Eleanor has stayed with them on her visits. Their work includes Christian ministry of all kinds, not just with the children. They try to support AIDS families - often parents of children at the school. Magdaline explained that though they receive free medication from a charity many of the AIDS patients have no money at all for food. She contrasted this situation with the abundance of food in the West and asked that at least her listeners did not waste food.

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It was therefore appropriate that St Peter's Church Treasurer, David Pink handed a cheque to Bishop Daniel for his work and one to Eleanor for her fund, from half the Harvest Collection the previous week at St Peter's. The other half will be given to help needy farmers in this country.

The evening included a talk by the Ogutus and a powerpoint presentation illustrating vividly the appaling living conditions, and the school huts with very few resources. Supporters, including members of St Peter's, St Michael's and St Stephen's churches, then shared a simple African type vegetarian supper.First of all however everyone washed their hands as they would in Africa, using a minimum amount of water, a very precious resource. The Kenyan children provided entertainment as they sang and danced enthusiastically on the screen.

Eleanor's main fundraising interest at present is the refurbishment of the very dilapidated dark and insanitary classrooms in which the primary children have to study and the teachers have to work, day after day, most of them having no windows, the open doorway being the only means of natural daylight.

Eleanor hopes to visit the Mathare Valley again next year. For further info and possible photos contact Eleanor on 222107 or [email protected]

Related topics:Observer