An orphan in Kenya who went through primary school with support from Blythswood Care is now training to be a nurse. Nelly’s progress is testimony to the value of the schooling provided by Pamoja School, observes Sheena Griffin who raises support for the project near Kisumu in western Kenya.

“When Nelly’s parents died, the grandparents struggled to feed the three kids, let alone pay school fees for them. Nelly was a bright child so when she was 11 years old, her grandparents asked if she could live at the Magina Care Centre and go to Pamoja School.

“She loved school, especially reading, and was soon top of the class. She always wanted to help people and from a young age hoped to be a nurse.”

Sheena points out the importance of primary education to those who may have less aptitude than Nelly, and who do not go on to high school and professional training. “Being able to read makes you less vulnerable to exploitation. And it means that if you have the motivation you can learn anything. There is so much training online now, but without being able to read, where do you start?”

Blythswood funds the free school dinner which is so important to children from low-income homes at Pamoja School, and also contributes towards the cost of education. Sheena says:

“Thank you so much for continuing to partner with us in this work.”