Back to school campaign for Saint Martins School, Kenya

I've been lucky to have been involved in a school in the middle of a slum in Nairobi, Kenya called Saint Martins School. For the last few years I've gone on an annual trip there with a group of other volunteers, mainly from Salesforce but also from other organisations too. I don't do a whole lot of creative work anymore so its a great chance for me to get behind the camera and capture some video and photography and with the help of my team in Atomic, turn that content into campaigns that help with fundraising and awareness.

This year, naturally, has been very different. There couldn't be a trip to the school to meet the teachers, kids and amazingly resilient people of the slums. The school has had to close which means teachers are furloughed and the kids have literally nowhere to go...nowhere to learn, to play, to eat a healthy meal, to just be kids.

Thankfully the school is planning to reopen in January. But, even though in Europe and the US, back to school time has been a testing and worrying time, Saint Martins are dealing with a lot more than we do. They need to buy facemaks, increase sanitation across the school, improve the water supply and create more space for social distancing. And all with less money than they normally have to operate with.

There's a chance without additional funds the school won't re-open. Not the end of the world in the global scheme of things, but in Kibagare, it would literally be a catastrophe. Kids will be aimless and hanging around the slums, parents will have to look after them and not be able to work. And the progress that I've seen first hand in the last few years will be undone. It's scary to think what the knock on effects could be around drug abuse, exploitation and poverty.

Myself and some of the sponsors have created a small campaign to try to raise some much needed cash to help the school reopen. And I know that there are million other deserving causes right now (not to mention that cash is tight for everyone) but any support would be seriously appreciated.

You can visit the webpage that outlines what we're trying to do.

https://www.saintmartinskenya.com/covid19appeal

Thanks

Stephen