Salama Mamas: quilting helps disadvantaged children in Kenya

The Salama Mamas are a mothers’ group from a community school near Nairobi, Kenya. The mothers’ group and their income generation activities raise funds for disadvantaged children in Kenya. Their activities include quilting, stitching and sewing a range of home and kitchen items. And the school children help too.

The Salama Mamas are mothers of children from the Salama Gachie Community School. It is a private community primary school established in May 2014. There are currently 120 students from disadvantaged backgrounds, whose families are not able to afford even the minimum costs of enrolling in government schools. On average only 20% of the students are able to afford school fees.

The students are mainly children of single mothers, orphans living with relatives, and street children. The Salama Mamas raise money so that families can afford the KES 500 monthly fee ($50) to go to the community primary school, remedial classes, daily meals, uniforms, textbooks, and other school supplies. The funds raised through their sewing and quilting also support operational costs of the school. This supplements donations from sponsors, and volunteer work of community members. Volunteers help with special outings for the children, reading groups, and contributing to the daily meals.

The Salama Gachie Community School is currently in the process of registering with the Ministry of Education in Kenya to become a government school. And volunteers are in the process of establishing a trust fund to manage donations and disbursements of funds.

https://www.facebook.com/Salama-Gachie-Community-School-1620850588154542/

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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