February 2017

Thank you for showing interest in the work

that we are doing through the Amuka
Foundation. Whilst we are patiently processing
our applications for registration; we have
taken the initiative; met with many people in
communities and started to develop some of
the programmes.
I always believed in the notion that you should not put off until
tomorrow what you can do today. That notion is even more
relevant here when lives and futures depend upon what you do
today. When your family is struck by drought or you live in fear of
being raped and miss yet another day of school because of your
period; each day is a critical day.
Amuka Foundation will establish Boards of Trustees in England,
Scotland and Kenya; we hope that within a short period of time we
will have the chance to raise significant sums of money as well as
host many visitors who will become Ambassadors for the work that
we are doing.
I have learnt how important it is to really understand the
problems, to realise that there is a need to look at each problem
from different perspectives and be realistic about how effective
your actions are going to be. I also know how important it is in
this field of work that integrity and transparency define trust;
not just between you and I, but with those that we work with in
the community.
I would like to share with you some of the early work we are
doing, an insight into some of our aspirations and how you might
be able to help us address some of these problems today.

Luroko Primary School, Karare hosts almost 400 children from

pastoralist families living across a vast expanse of northern Kenyas
arid lands. A few weeks ago the Government declared the drought
in this county a National Disaster. Karare is my Kenyan home and
I have learnt what it means to have no water. Without grazing for
your livestock there is no milk or meat to sell. Preparing the land
for sowing seeds is done manually to avoid weakening your cattle,
whilst young herdsmen travel many kilometres away from their
families to find water and grazing; often coming into violent conflict
with other tribes. Whilst mothers walk for hours to collect water;
children are absent from school; now responsible for more of the
chores at home and looking after younger siblings.
When I visited the Luroko a few weeks ago they had no water or
food for the children and attendance was very poor. I heard that
children as young as 9 years had been sent by their parents; 20
30 kilometres away, with sheep and goats to try and find water and
grazing. I talked through with the Headmaster some of the options
and later that day I found enough money to fill the 10,000 litre tank
with water, buy 75kgs of rice, 2 litres of cooking oil, 2 kgs of salt and
pay some of the women to fetch firewood. Word went out amongst
the village and the next day many children reported back; armed
with their pencils and their plates!
I want to establish a sustainable feeding programme for the
children at this school, providing nutritious porridge in the morning
with rice and beans at lunchtime. I know that for most of these
children; this will probably be the only food they get in a day. It
will take many months for the village to regain its strength and
resilience after rains eventually fall; we cannot put this off for
another day.
Whatever the problem; Amukas solution will never
be about making anyone rich; instead we will look to
develop vocational skills in women and adolescent boys
and girls so that they are economically empowered, with
the skills and the confidence to define their own future.
I learnt some years ago the significance of girls being
able to access sanitary towels; protecting them from rape
and exploitation; ensuring they attend school every day
and make them emotionally strong and confident. I have
also realised that simply sourcing and providing each
month is not sustainable; and so Amuka has a plan!
We want to establish a small business enterprise hub;
teaching a few mothers whose children attend Luroko
Primary to make re usable sanitary towels. They will earn
a small daily salary and for every sanitary towel they
make they will generate credits. Those credits will be
accumulated and each term the mother will be able to
convert those credits into school fees, school uniform,
text books or Government health insurance fund. Longer
term they should fund the feeding programme and
support an allowance for those volunteer teachers.
Amuka will be looking for people to sponsor a drawstring
bag containing 3 towels, 2 pairs of panties, soap and
washing instructions. Their support will keep a woman
in employment, enable her to educate and feed her
children and ensure that girls are protected from
exploitation and have the protection and confidence to
attend school every day!
In Kenya; education is not a given, not every child can
assume they will have the chance to go to school. And for
those girls married young and become pregnant; they
are forced to drop out. From my experience the cost of
attending school is becoming more prohibitive with each
school setting their own fee structure as well as the cost
of uniform, text books and for those boarding having
to buy basic essentials such as mattress, bucket and
toilet rolls. Despite all of this; children and teenage girls
desperately want to be educated.
Faced with such a difficult situation, I believe we have to
develop more holistic programmes with education as one
part of the solution. For thousands of children; attaining
a grade or passing an exam will not define their future.
Where education is part of a programme of vocational
and business skills, leadership and life skills so I believe
we have chance to make a greater impact.
Wherever we provide financial assistance whether
through fees, text books or uniform we define an
Agreement outlining our expectations. It is not just about
an expectation of working hard but to give something
back to their community; maybe to volunteer helping
other children and an assurance that at the end of the
year, text books are handed on to one of our projects.
We are currently scoping what support might look like
for a teenager with 3 children who dropped out of
school soon after getting married. She wants to return
to school but we have to consider the return on such
an investment. If we can teach her vocational or
agricultural and business skills as part of an educational
programme so she is better equipped to protect and
provide for her children.
 Sport; particularly football is at
the heart of every community.
Whilst played in some of the
harshest conditions; football
really is a level playing field
and provides a great distraction
from tribal conflict, physical
violence, abuse and the
hunger pains of an empty
stomach. I dont know the
off side rule, but I do know
that using football to bring
these young people together
creates an opportunity to
provide guidance on healthy
living; HIV prevention, financial
literacy and reproductive
health. We are planning our
first tournament in May for
young children in Kibera. We
need support with footballs,
medals and small allowance for
teachers who will facilitate the
educational programme.

This is really just a taster, the start of
some really exciting programmes
which I know will transform lives.
Amuka in Kiswahili means to rise up;
and I know we can help them do just
that. With your support we can start
to make a difference today.
If you would like to get involved in
any way, or hear more about our
plans then please contact me ellie@
amuka.uk If you are able to make
a financial donation, please make
the deposit and then contact me,
telling me exactly how you want
your money spent; school feeding
programme, education programme,
football tournament or establishing
the sanitary towel project.
My commitment is that 100% of your
donation will go into the project
and you will receive a breakdown of
exactly how your money was spent.
With all of these projects it is not
just about money, and in time I will
share details of how you can be a
part of work on the ground; painting
classrooms, teaching basic building
and maintenance skills, knitting, arts
and crafts or running workshops at
the football tournament. I also have
a long list of things to start collecting!
In the meantime, my sincere thanks
and I really look forward to hearing
from you.
Kindest regards
Ellie
+254 706566658
ellie@amuka.uk

As we look to establish these critical projects, we are looking for assistance to get us off
the ground. We are grateful for any contribution you can make to any of these projects:

Establish sanitary towel project

(includes purchase of 4 manual sewing machines,
materials and training costs) 1600

Early Child Development; Football Tournament

(towards purchase of balls, medals, allowances for teachers, feeding) 500

Education assistance
(towards school fees, text books and stationery, uniform and basic materials) 5 - 500

Solar lamps 15 - 50

Bank details:
Amuka Limited
Account number 94221070
Sort 09-01-26