Island Women heading to Kenya for SOLID
SOLID Press Release:
On Feb 25th this year four adventurous women are heading to Kenya to distribute the proceeds of SOLID’s Christmas fundraising campaign, as well as other project goals. Lynda Turner (SOLID Director) will be joined by Shirley McIntyre (on her second volunteer trip to Kenya), Nancy Wiggen and Jackie Stibbards of Merritt, and they will be spending a month in rural Kakamega distributing the generous donations of Salt Spring Islanders. In total 21 goats, 48 solar lights and 44 chicken flocks were purchased and these will be distributed to families in the Kakamega region. Salt Spring Islanders are familiar with the Goat Project from last year, and this year SOLID is offering other alternative gifting options.
Solar Lights for Learning: A high end solar light with a detachable re-chargeable battery will be given to a secondary student who lives at home. The students will be disadvantaged but bright students who are receiving tuition support from Canadian NGOs. These boys and girls have been vetted by the NGOs as being the best and the brightest, but in great need. At present students generally have a long walk home and then chores when they get home. With nightfall at 7:30pm this allows them very little of no time to do their homework and only very rarely do homes have electricity. The solar lights will allow students to do their homework in the evenings. The cost is $55 per light and the purchaser receives a beautiful card acknowledging their contribution.
Chickens for Grandmothers: Grandmothers are the backbone of the family in Kenya. Many grandmothers are caring for their grandchildren whose own parents are deceased, usually from HIV/AIDS. This project will provide the household with 5 hens, 1 rooster, and wire for an enclosure. The women will be educated on the care and feeding of the chickens. The chickens will be examined by a vet and given the necessary shots. In Kenya the project will be
organized by the same people who successfully organized the goat project. The cost is $55 and the purchaser receives a relevant card acknowledging their purchase.
The women will also be delivering 225 school uniforms from the Anglican Church Wine & Appies fundraiser and SOLID funds, 250 hygiene kits from the Bridge Tournament and SOLID funds, 50 layettes for new mothers @ Kakamega Provincial Hospital, 3 rain collection systems from Outreach Committee of SSI Anglican Parish, 1 special wheelchair for a 9 year old paralyzed girl and food for the Grace Orphanage.
It is not too late to contribute to this volunteer trip. Donations and Cards can be purchased from the SOLID Exchange in Gasoline Alley or by contacting Lynda Turner at 250-931-1214. You can also support SOLID by naming us as your beneficiary when you purchase and use SS dollars.
SOLID thanks Salt Spring Islanders for their generous support of our African Partners. Please join us this Valentine’s Day at the SOLID Exchange for a special treat from the little store with the big heart.
