I am doing a cycle challenge for one of the projects that Kenyawi Kids supports called ‘STEKA.’ I will use ferries to island hop and then cycle round 7 islands (Barra, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris and Skye) in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland in a 3-day cycle challenge next thursday- 215 miles in total.

STEKA is a home for abandoned and abused children in Blantyre, southern Malawi. Kenyawi Kids recently funded the building of the new home with the help my school year group and the Jordanhill community in Glasgow raising funds in 2010/11. I was privileged to visit Malawi again in June for 5 weeks. I spent 18 days at the STEKA house and meet the incredible Godknows and Hellen Maseko who started STEKA. They currently have 41 children aged between 9 months and 17 years old in their care, and I was blown away by the love shown towards children who have had a start in life we can only have nightmares about. The sole purpose of STEKA is to respond to child abuse in Malawi that drive children into risky behaviours or become victimised by adults. Street/Step kids are the primary target groups who face increasing incidences of child abuse be it trafficking, sexual, physical or pychological. When I was in Malawi I got to witness the fantastic job that Godknows and Hellen Maseko do in raising their 41 children and have seen that they have given their lives to the cause.

 

The STEKA kids have now been rescued and have a home to live in, however when I was staying at the STEKA home there were 2 attempted burglaries on the home due to the height of the wall around the house. I want the children to feel as safe as possible in their new home and would like to raise money, with your help, to buy bricks to build the wall higher and prevent this from happening again. On one of my many chats with Godknows, he told me that he would like to send 8 of his children to Secondary School starting in September.  I would like to help him do this and prevent him from having to tell the children that he cannot afford to send them to school and prevent them for getting an education. The aim of the charity Kenyawi Kids is to promote sustainable orphan care. At the back of the STEKA home, there is construction going on to build a place where peanut butter making, tailoring skills & carpentry training can take place to ensure a sustainable future for all the children. It has been started at the back of the new house, but I need your help to finish it.

 

Thank you for taking time to read my story and hear about the wonderful STEKA house.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your donations go straight to the projects in Malawi without any costs being removed on the way, making your donations go further. Kenyawi Kids in 100% NOT for profit, so please dig deep and donate now to support my STEKA 7 Island Cycle Challenge for a group of beautiful children in a country far less fortunate than our own.

If you would like to learn more about Kenyawi Kids, started by my sister Caroline, the website is www.kenyawi-kids.com