New sponsors needed for school feeding programme

The Friends of Mikoroshoni Primary School Charity is managed by a small team, including four members from Middleton Rotary Club, and they are looking for new sponsors for the school feeding programme.

Mikoroshoni Primary School is in Shanzu village, Mombasa, Kenya and provides free local education for children from the very poorest of families, who might otherwise never attend school.

The Friends of Mikoroshoni Primary School was established in 1996 after John and Yvonne Brooker, ex-teachers from Middleton, travelled to Mombasa with friends, John and Pat Lloyd, for a holiday.

In 2008, due to many children coming to the school hungry, the Friends charity began to feed the younger children.

Then in 2009 trustees were able to extend the feeding programme to include the five older classes.

Mikoroshoni is now committed to feeding all the children every day, as well as feeding them with knowledge.

John Brooker, a member of Middleton Rotary Club and a Trustee of the charity, said: “The charity covers the cost of the children receiving education, but it doesn’t cover the cost of the feeding programme, which allows children to receive daily school meals.

“The feeding programme was launched eight years ago and has had two major sponsors over that time but unfortunately, we no longer have sponsors for the programme. We are going to try and keep it going in the short term but if we can’t find sponsors, or a big major sponsor, then we can’t sustain the feeding programme.

“This is the only meal some children get a day.

“The feeding programme provides a daily meal for almost 300 students.”

One of the ex students of Mikoroshoni Primary School, has recently graduated from the University of Nairobi, with a degree in law.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/104705/two-decades-of-charitable-successes-at-the-mikoroshoni-primary-school

98p of every £1 donated goes directly to the Friends of Mikoroshoni Primary School.

If you or the company you work for would like to help with the feeding programme please contact news@rochdaleonline.co.uk and we will pass your details on to John Brooker.

Mikoroshoni Primary School: http://mikoroshoniprimaryschool.org.uk

Katie Davies