St Charles Lwanga Secondary School and Children’s Centre is located in Ruai, Nairobi Kenya. The school is supported by Inverness County Cares (ICC), an Inverness County, NS based volunteer group and Chalice Canada, an international aid group based in Halifax. The school is involved in educational partnerships with several international groups and they also receive assistance for essential needs from other global supporters.
This month we will focus on an agriculture worker at the school. Thomas was a student leader (head boy) at St Charles Lwanga School who demonstrated great potential. Shortly after graduation from Form 4 (Grade 12) he was hired at a factory and was advancing in his position. Unfortunately he was involved in a workplace accident, which resulted in the loss of the thumb and index finger on his right hand. He is from an impoverished family with no father present and his mother has passed away. He is responsible for the care of his 7-year old brother who lives with him. In 2014 school headmaster, Br Kennedy hired him to take care of the school grounds and garden and this provided him with enough money to rent a small room for himself and his brother and to pay his brother’s school tuition and personal needs.
Thomas’ life and prospects brightened when he became involved in a Kenyan program introduced by a Go Global, a Vermont non-profit partner of St Charles Lwanga and by the University of Vermont. With their encouragement, he was trained in a program which will lead the St Charles Lwanga School and other affiliated schools, toward sustainable agriculture.
Thomas was introduced to permaculture by The Permaculture Institute- Kenya and trained in basics of permaculture in a two-week Permaculture Design Course. He will continue to partner with Permaculture Institute-Kenya based in Nairobi.
Permaculture is defined as: the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems, which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. Graham Bell, The Permaculture Way.
He is presently traveling near the area of the proposed new St Charles Lwanga School where he is working with Mr Jeremiah ad sharing his knowledge and agricultural skills with the residents of Rodi a community near HomaBay and Lake Victoria. He is educating the children and adults of these communities and is working with them to build garden plots for vegetables. This coming January representatives of University of Vermont will work with him to expand his learning and involve more local people and students in this program. Thomas will provide agricultural leadership at the much anticipated, future St Charles Lwanga School. This new school will be located in a fertile agricultural area near Lake Victoria.
https://invernesscountycares.com/
St Charles Lwanga School is always interested in volunteers wanting to work at the school. Contact numbers are available on our webpages.
Thomas watering trees.
Classes with community members.
Thomas in brown shirt in center
Thomas teaching
Thomas