St. Francis Integrated School (Karen)

A friend sent me the e-mail herebelow. Kindly look deep in your heart and pocket and see what assistance you can offer.

The home is called St. Francis Integrated School and is located in Karen close to the Giraffe centre (behind Karengata academy). The home's population is majorly orphans and the rest of the population is from single parents and other parents who cannot support their children.

It currently has a population of over 300 children from age1 to appx 17

They have semi permanent structures and one incomplete house i.e. walls and a roof but no windows, ceiling, fittings etc(this was to be a residential home for the lady who runs the home).

The structures double up as their classrooms and dormitories; In the day they move the mattresses outside/ or to the side and use them as classes and in the evening they move them back in for sleeping.

Children depend largely on their guardians/well wishers i.e. your guardian will bring you a mattress and/or clothes/pocket money. Thus if your guardian doesn't come or if you don't have a guardian you have to borrow and share a mattress for sleep at night. The living conditions make communicable diseases especially skin/fungal infections common.

The home honestly needs whatever help it can get i.e. prayers, visits, medicines, blankets, mattresses, clothes, construction of classes/dormitories, food, charcoal saving jikos, firewood, charcoal,exercise books, textbooks etc

The school's owner/caretaker is a lady called Mrs. Kibathi and she can be reached on 0721-604500