In January 2008, a missionary priest from the remote village of Nyansakia, part of the Kisii District of Kenya, arrived in our community in South Lincolnshire. The area includes the towns of Bourne and Market Deeping and the villages in between.

At this time there was great unrest in Kenya, tribal tensions were running high and tv coverage reported much violence. This became very real to us when the priest told his stories.

Our community wanted to help and did so in many ways, with activities such as coffee mornings, loose change collections, clothes, spectacles and other essentials. Early in 2009 a parishioner travelled the district raising awareness and fundraising to buy livestock for those in Nyansakia.

As calm returned to Kenya, the people of Nyansakia, founded the Nyansakia Friends self-help group. Here in our community in South Lincolnshire, motivated by love and friendship, Friends of Nyansakia (FON) was formed in September 2010. The primary aim was to support the sister group in Kenya.

The aims of the self-help group in Nyansakia were to help orphans, the poorest families, pupil’s access to a school meal, uniforms, shoes and medical care. They had in their ranks the Head Teacher, the local Chief, two teachers, a nurse and village elders.

Our committee put in place five objectives to help our friends in Kenya achieve their ambitions:

1. Employment of extra teachers at the village school

2. Start a feeding programme for the pupils and teachers

3. Help in accessing local medicines

4. Support for orphans and the poorest families

5. Any other help that would benefit community education and welfare needs