Bringing Ping Pong to Rural Kenya
Donation protected
This project aims to bring the sport of Table Tennis to the wonderful children of Happy Life Childrens Home in Nairobi in Kenya this Christmas.
Every Christmas Sharon and Steve Emecz from London spend a few weeks with the kids at Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi in Kenya. This year they will spend one week with the older children out at Juja Farm where the project has built a school and homes.
Juja Farm School
Since it was founded nearly 20 years ago Happy Life has saved over 400 abandoned babies from the streets of some of the world's largest slums in Nairobi. Some babies are adopted, but the rest stay with Happy Life and as the first groups grew to school age Happy Life grew with 5 acres of land outside Nairobi where the school has gone from strength to strength providing education for children from local villages as well.
Sharon and Steve fundraise for Happy Life through their publishing company (MX Publishing) and various events throughout the year - one of which was Steve's participation in this year's World Veteran's Table Tennis Championships in May.
The kids and teachers at Happy Life were so excited by the pictures and videos from Steve's ping pong escapades that many one of them asked if they could learn to play as well.... How hard could that be?
Well, Table Tennis hasn't reached rural Kenya yet - but we thought that it was a brilliant idea, and the kids would love a sport they can take part in indoors. Soccer is huge in Kenya and of course easy to take part in, but during rainy season in particular, it will be great to have an indoor sport - and nothing beats ping pong for that!
The hall at Juja Farm is the perfect venue
Happy Life have found someone prepared to build the tables and they have a multi-purose hall perfect for housing them. Sharon and Steve are lined up to bring all other equipment with them [balls, bats, nets etc] and Steve is ready to learn how to teach [his father Emil is a former International level coach and umpire so he'll have some expert help.
We want to bring Table Tennis to Juja Farm and ultimately have foreign clubs come and visit. Happy Life recently welcomed a group of 20+ visitors from Texas and now there is vistor accomodation at Juja Farm we think that a Table Tennis centre would attract visitors from around the world.
Having seen the amazing fans and atmosphere at the World Veteran Championship's Steve thinks the players would love to visit Juja Farm and help bring Ping Pong to rural Kenya.
Ready for school
The plan would be to build the tables in November and Steve and Sharon will take over the additional equipment in December so ideally we'd like to pass the fundraising goal by the end of October. The more funds we raise the more equipment we can take. The initial target we have gets the two tables built, and basic bats, balls and nets to get us started.
The project will bring a new sport to these amazing children at Happy Life for many years into the future.
Every Christmas Sharon and Steve Emecz from London spend a few weeks with the kids at Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi in Kenya. This year they will spend one week with the older children out at Juja Farm where the project has built a school and homes.
Juja Farm School
Since it was founded nearly 20 years ago Happy Life has saved over 400 abandoned babies from the streets of some of the world's largest slums in Nairobi. Some babies are adopted, but the rest stay with Happy Life and as the first groups grew to school age Happy Life grew with 5 acres of land outside Nairobi where the school has gone from strength to strength providing education for children from local villages as well.
Sharon and Steve fundraise for Happy Life through their publishing company (MX Publishing) and various events throughout the year - one of which was Steve's participation in this year's World Veteran's Table Tennis Championships in May.
The kids and teachers at Happy Life were so excited by the pictures and videos from Steve's ping pong escapades that many one of them asked if they could learn to play as well.... How hard could that be?
Well, Table Tennis hasn't reached rural Kenya yet - but we thought that it was a brilliant idea, and the kids would love a sport they can take part in indoors. Soccer is huge in Kenya and of course easy to take part in, but during rainy season in particular, it will be great to have an indoor sport - and nothing beats ping pong for that!
The hall at Juja Farm is the perfect venue
Happy Life have found someone prepared to build the tables and they have a multi-purose hall perfect for housing them. Sharon and Steve are lined up to bring all other equipment with them [balls, bats, nets etc] and Steve is ready to learn how to teach [his father Emil is a former International level coach and umpire so he'll have some expert help.
We want to bring Table Tennis to Juja Farm and ultimately have foreign clubs come and visit. Happy Life recently welcomed a group of 20+ visitors from Texas and now there is vistor accomodation at Juja Farm we think that a Table Tennis centre would attract visitors from around the world.
Having seen the amazing fans and atmosphere at the World Veteran Championship's Steve thinks the players would love to visit Juja Farm and help bring Ping Pong to rural Kenya.
Ready for school
The plan would be to build the tables in November and Steve and Sharon will take over the additional equipment in December so ideally we'd like to pass the fundraising goal by the end of October. The more funds we raise the more equipment we can take. The initial target we have gets the two tables built, and basic bats, balls and nets to get us started.
The project will bring a new sport to these amazing children at Happy Life for many years into the future.
Organizer
Steve Emecz
Organizer
