Autumn Newsletter 2016

Dear Friends, such a lot has happened since the launch of Friends of Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation in the Spring of this year. The most obvious being that…we have a new logo, courtesy of ‘Square Cactus’ a marketing company based here in Blackburn who kindly and generously offered to design our website and Facebook pages, both of which will be launched on October 1st, and I thank them most sincerely for their creative excellence and support of our effort to help the children of Meru County. We hope you like it.

 

Patrick and Lydia Muthuri.

During their wedding in February 2010, Patrick and Lydia made a promise to God, family and friends, to help the lives of the orphaned, most vulnerable, and desperately poor children within their community. To achieve this, they established the Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation with a donation of money they had received as part of their wedding gifts.

 

Every year when celebrating their wedding anniversary, they gather with friends and the community at Kijijone Methodist Church to raise funds for their charity. To date over 100 needy orphans have been assisted with school fees, uniforms/shoes and sanitary products for the girls.

Patrick and Lydia work tirelessly to raise funds in support of the ‘Foundation’ from friends, their church, community and various organizations within Kenya and beyond.

 

During the past six years 60 children, who would never have been in school, have completed the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and/or the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)

 

Presently 44 orphaned children are receiving financial support from the ‘Foundation’ attending various Primary schools with many more needing help which the PMFF is trying to provide.

 

Friends of Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation.

It was in the Autumn of 2015 when those who were aware of the work of the Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation realised Patrick and Lydia needed support in the raising of funds due to the number of children requiring help.

 

Out of various discussions held by friends of Patrick and Lydia Friends of Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation was founded.

 

I am pleased to confirm we now have nineteen new ‘Friends’ making a monthly contribution to the ‘Fund’ by bank standing orders, ten new ‘Friends’ who have made donations and two new ‘Sponsors’ of individual children, Doreen Nkirote and Ian Kaime, who will now have their school fees paid on an annual basis.

 

From the monies you have so generously donated we have been able, at the start of July, to transfer to the Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation – Kenya £500:00 – KES 62,000 – which has made an immediate impact upon the lives of four young adults in need of urgent support.

 

Purity Kinya’s mother was abandoned by her father when they discovered they were both HIV positive and Purity had to leave school earlier this year. As a result of your contributions Purity is now back in school studying hard and is determined to achieve her ambition of becoming a nurse.

 

Doris and Anita Kathambi’s father died in March 2011 and their mother in October of the same year as a result of both having AIDS/HIV. An uncle who was supporting them and paying their school fees died at the end of last year. They now live with their grandfather aged 86, who could not continue to pay their school fees, and they had to leave school earlier this year. As a result of your contributions both Doris, whose ambition is to become a nurse, and Anita, whose ambition is to be a teacher are back in school, they are both focused, hardworking students obtaining good exam results.

 

Amos Muriungi was forced out of school as a result of being abused by his stepfather, kicked out of the family home and found on the streets begging for food. Amos was rescued by PMFF and a new family home found for him. As a result of your contributions, Amos is now back in school, studying hard, and his dream, more than anything, is to become an engineer.

The children have had their school fees paid, received new school uniforms/shoes and the girl’s provided with sanitary products. With your help and your commitment, the children are now off the streets, back in school with a real opportunity of making a positive contribution to their community in the future.

The monies raised by the Friends of Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation is intended for this very purpose, to assist those children who have an urgent need for help and those who are not currently receiving support. Future donations, which we look to make at the beginning of each quarter, are intended to get more orphaned children, who truly represent the future of their society, community and Kenya, off the streets and into the education system.

 

The Committee.

It has been a busy but very rewarding year knowing Patrick and Lydia now have many more ‘Friends’ here in the UK who are prepared to help those desperately poor, orphaned and vulnerable children, and that they are no longer on their own.

 

For our part we will continue to raise the awareness of the work of Patrick and Lydia, obtain more new ‘Friends’, and through your continued support help the orphaned children of Meru County.

 

On behalf of the Committee thank you for your kind and generous support.

 

Your gifts have changed the life of a child forever.

Alan Tarry
Chairman

 

If you have a member of your family, or a friend, who would also like to make a gift, it would be most appreciated.
Email contact@patrickmuthurifriends.org
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Every £1 donated to Friends of Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation goes to help the orphaned children. No administrative costs are deducted