Ten years ago, our family visited Jipe Moyo School outside Mombasa, Kenya. With generous support from our friends and family, we were able to build a kitchen that provides many of the students with their only meal of the day. We're returning this October and have asked the school volunteers what they most need. Our family is funding new gas grills in the kitchen to replace the charcoal burning stoves, hiring another teacher, bringing two x-large suitcases of school supplies and hosting a community dinner for the entire village to come together to celebrate all that Jipe Moyo has accomplished.

Many of our friends and family have asked how they can participate.

There are two projects that speak to our 'roots' in Vancouver and Canada. Sustainable environmental practices have become a focus at the school and throughout the community. The school has recently embarked on a program to plant hundreds of seedlings to help with air quality, soil erosion and eventually provide shade from the blistering heat. Every student (ages 3-9) at the school is responsible for 'their' own tree and must care and water it. We love this program and wish to see it expanded. A donation of $50 will support the purchase of more seedlings, additional water collection and proper fencing around the property so that animals do not forage the seedlings.

The volunteers have also suggested tricycles and bikes for student activity time to provide some childhood joy that we all take for granted. For each $100 donation, we can purchase a trike/bike in Mombasa and have them transported to the school. No one at the school or in the community has ever been on a bike so we expect to be very busy teaching during our visit!

Our family is matching every donation we receive via this GoFundMe link, as well as covering the administrative fees. We will be at the school shortly so you can be sure every dollar raised towards our goal (and beyond!) will be well invested at Jipe Moyo.

We will post updates often so you can see firsthand the profound impact our community is making halfway around the world.

With tremendous gratitude,

Lynda and Loring