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By:
HARRISON MAINA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted:
Jul,02-2016 12:13:17
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ROCKY HILL, Connecticut--Over 40 destitute children in Kisumu, Kenya now have a reason to smile after dozens of Kenyans and friends from Connecticut, Boston, New York, New Jersey and Washington D.C interested in supporting philanthropic efforts in the motherland attended the launching of the new Mighty Children Centre in Rocky Hill, near Hartford Connecticut, donating over $3,000 in immediate cash for the cause.
During the event, several well wishers also signed up to provide financial support of $25 a month per child for 10 of the 40 orphaned children under the care of the new center. Guests present were also thrilled to hear a video message from Honorable Aduma Owuor, the Member of Parliament for Nyakach, who pledged to give KSH, $300,000 ($3,000) towards the initiative. The MP also pledged to help secure a piece of land where the center will build a structure to house the unfortunate orphaned children, many of whom are living with economically struggling well wishers, or mentally handicapped parents. The highly entertaining event replete with a fashion show by Kenyan models from New York,New Jersey,Maryland and Massachusetts,took place at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in Rocky Hill, few miles from downtown Hartford, Connecticut's largest city. Among the models was Caroline Kamau, former Miss New York Kenyan beauty pageant winner and current humanitarian activist focusing on domestic violence and girls sanitary education. The event was kicked off by the mayor of Rocky Hill, Claudio Baio, who said that the idea of helping unfortunate children in Kenya through the Mighty Children Center, a newly registered 501c (3) nonprofit, is a welcome position for her city.
Flanked by Antony Querrera,State Representative for Connecticut, the mayor noted that the city of Nairobi alone has over 300,000 destitute children; therefore it is even more heartbreaking to hear there are more destitute children all the way in Kisumu. She pledged to support the Mighty Children Center in its vision at helping such kids. A brainchild of Jackton Were, a Kenyan man who lived and worked in Boston for many years before relocating to Connecticut, the Mighty Children's Center currently supports 40 children, all of whom have no surviving parents. Addressing guests during the dinner party Were said that it has always been his dream to do something to help unfortunate children in his village after he visited several years ago and witnessed their suffering. "The moment I saw these kids go through suffering, without food or place to stay, it really touched my heart.So I decided to start Mighty Children Centre as a way of restoring their hope through education and social services.I give thanks to all who came to support us and i pray that many will join us for this cause."
He said that he was encouraged by the response from well wishers who attended the event including Baio, the Rocky Hill Mayor, State Rep, Antony Querrera as well as and other top guests invited, including Dr. Kenneth Bridges, Vice President of Global Blood Therapeutics based in California, his wife, Dr. Maria Bridges, who is a Research Consultant in California, Dr. Hillary Onyiuke, Chief of the Division of Neurology at the University of Connecticut, and Dr. Japheth Mongare, a Kenyan Podiatrist based in Connecticut. Other local guests who made it to the fundraiser were Joe Malaika, a renowned Boston based Ugandan fashion designer, Rahman Oladigbolu, a Connecticut based film maker, and Jersey Benson, a New Jersey based Kenyan Actress and model who led a battery of other models to entertain guests with a highly entertaining fashion show. Professor Peter Anyang Nyongo, Senator of Kisumu County in Western Kenya where the new children's center is located,and father of world renowned, Oscar winning Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong'o, did not make it to the event due to "last minute conflict in work schedule", organizers told Ajabu Africa News.
"Just like the mayor said, there are over 300,000 orphaned children in Kenyan urban areas who have no one to help them. It is our duty as Kenyans in the USA to do something about it. Let's show support for these children at Mighty Children Center by donating whatever amount you can. These children are mighty and will become very productive people with your help and support," said Enos Odera, Chairman of the Nyakach Association based in New York, a guest of honor who took the mantle to help coordinate the fundraiser. "I can assure you that Jackton is a very honest and straight forward man.Together with the other Directors of the Mighty Children's Centre, I can assure you that they are credible and committed people who will put this money into good use," he added. Urging guests to sign up and commit to provide support the children for a minimum of 1 year, David Mwangi, a Kenyan from Bloomfield Connecticut said that it does not take much for a Diaspora based Kenyan to support such children as long as they have the desire to help. "All it takes to provide everything that one child needs here is $25 a month. You can sign up to support one or two kids for a year, then stop of you want. It's not a permanent commitment," Mwangi pleaded, inspiring several countrymen and women to sign up. Organizers told guests that the county government in Kisumu had already licensed the Mighty Children Center to set up the building where the children will be housed as they get much needed services of food, clothing, water and education.
"We have identified a building that has passed rigorous inspection by the government in Kenya through the children's department and ministry of Public Health. With your donations, we shall be making plans to move in the kids as soon as possible," said Were, the founder and president. Thanking well wishers Were added that the organization has already purchased mattresses, blankets, bed sheets and towels for the kids in readiness for the move. "I am very happy to see all these guests come and help us fundraise for this cause. It's very encouraging and we look forward to holding more events in the future as we find ways to help the children," said Victor Paul, an Indian born Vice President of the Mighty children Center. Organizers said that other Kenyans, friends and well wishes out there are more than welcome to donate to the nonprofit by contacting the directors or by visiting their website, www.MightyChildrenCenter.org. "We shall issue you with official receipts for tour donations as we are a registered 501c3 organization so that you can claim in your tax returns,"assured Were. "This was a very good event for a very good cause. Am glad they have started on the right foot. More poeple should do this to help all the suffering children in Kenya," said Sue Ouma of Worcester MA, populary known as NyarWorcester (daughter of Worcester) during a post event interview with Ajabu African News. Leonard Tshitenge, a Congolese national, served as the master of ceremony at the event, and even showed up at the fashion show runway together with another Kenyan man as the only male models. Guests were then treated to a highly entertaining fashion show by Kenyan models from New York, New Jersey and Washington DC. The event ended with music entertainment provided by Worcester based Kenyan DJ, Ezra, now known as The Incredible DJ Huski. To contact or donate to the Mighty Children Center, visit www.MightyChildrenCenter.org
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Source:
AJABU AFRICA NEWS
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