Eager little tots crowd round their teacher in a Kenyan church kindergarten, yet only a few years ago this scene would have been impossible. However, when two churches with the same name but more than 4,000 miles apart forged a link, miracles can happen.
It all began in 2008 when Sheila McLuckie, depute head teacher at Grove Academy in Broughty Ferry, was asked by the Rector if she would like to go to Meru, a town in Kenya, with principal teacher of geography, Marjorie Kerr. She jumped at the chance.
“Marjorie was setting up a curricular partnership with Meru High School,” explains Sheila.
“I was thrilled as I love travelling and was very keen to develop global citizenship in pupils.”
While in Kenya, Marjorie and she were asked to address the congregation at St Stephen’s Methodist church.
“It dawned on me as I spoke that my son was getting married in St Stephen’s and West in the Ferry that spring. The Kenyan congregation asked me to convey their greetings. Meanwhile the Rev Jim Roy back in the Ferry welcomed the link and suggested fundraising for a kindergarten for the Meru church.”
Sheila also visited Limbene Catholic Primary School during her visit. “It was heart-rending to see the state of the classrooms,” she recalls.
A link between St Mary’s Primary in Lochee and Limbene was established in 2012, and although there were challenges along the way, Limbene now has a classroom for 60 pupils, and toilets and handwashing facilities for all 700 pupils.
More than £34,000 has been raised since 2008 to educate children out of poverty. The kindergarten now has 100 children (although it needs another storey and a decent kitchen), while, thanks to charity the Moira Stewart Trust, other primary and secondary pupils in the town have also been helped.
And, points out Sheila, the benefits have been two-way: “The Grove pupils who did two exchange visits also returned with a greater understanding and value of education,” she says.
“Without the support of so many none of this would have been possible.”
To find out more or to donate to the Meru/Dundee partnership, please email semcluckie@blueyonder.co.uk
Did you know?
The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya, the tallest mountain in the country. The origin of the name Kenya is not clear, but perhaps means “God’s resting place”.
Meru is on the NE slopes of Mount Kenya five miles north of the equator.
The climate is cooler in the savannah grasslands around the capital city, Nairobi, and especially closer to Mount Kenya, which has snow permanently on its peaks.
The two official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili, although there are dozens of other languages.
Kenya is a developing country and half of the population live in poverty.
Training in high altitude produces some of the world’s fastest runners including Olymic athletes Philip Boit, David Rudisha and Dennis Kimetto.
Agriculture is important to Kenya’s economy, especially tea, coffee and flowers.
Kenya has many national parks and wildlife reserves, and safaris are a popular attraction for tourists. Wildlife includes lions, buffalo, leopards, elephants and rhinos.
And it’s best foot forward for Bharti as she raises funds for schools in Meru:
Podiatrist Dr. Bharti Rajput (known as Dr B to her patients), who owns Sole Body Soul foot clinic in Dundee, is a keen supporter of the Dundee/Meru Partnership.
She first learned about the project when Sheila visited the clinic and explains how her personal link with Kenya piqued her interest.
“As I was born in Kenya, I had been to Meru as a child on a family holiday,” says Bharti, who first became interested in podiatry as a teenager.
“When Sheila explained the aims of the project to provide education facilities for children it fitted in perfectly with the aims of the Sole Body Soul Foundation, the charity arm of our clinic,” explains Bharti.
“The foundation supports organisations locally and around the world to improve the lives of women and children in particular.”
So far the foundation has raised £350 and is now looking to launch the first ever made to measure sandals which have a built-in footbed to correct foot posture.
Bharti is planning a special event on Saturday May 28, 9 am-4.30pm at her clinic at 244 Broughty Ferry Road to celebrate the launch and treatment fees received from the day will be shared between the Meru Project alongside local charity, The Brae Riding for the Disabled.
“I’ve always been a believer that a small gesture of generosity can create limited possibilities,” says Bharti.
“Education is the key to a better future and isn’t it great to be part of something bigger through your work?”
www.solebodysoul.com
