One of the first things we have done on this trip so far has been to see quite a bit of our eldest sponsored child – Emmanuel Kai. Since he is now attending Malindi High School some distance away, we rarely enjoy the opportunity to spend much time with him and his family. However, the school term has only just started over here after the Christmas break, so we have had a few days before he returns to Malindi.

We have been able to visit his home, where he lives with his father and a very large extended family. Part of Emmanuel’s family tribal traditions include building your own house when you reach the age of sixteen, so Emmanuel, now 19 years old, has build his on his father’s land. He was rightly so proud to show us around the farm and to welcome us into his house, preparing tea for us there (another happy tradition when receiving visitors!)

We have also discussed his future plans in much more detail, putting into place an idea for his career after finishing secondary school. First he would like to complete a computing course, to familiarise himself with IT. Then he would like to go to university to study law. Emmanuel has ambitions of becoming a human rights lawyer. In his own words, he would like to make sure that everyone has the chance to get their own rights and to have a fair chance. All I can say is how proud I am of what an intelligent, sensitive and mature young man he has become and how pleased I am that this intelligence will now not be wasted. He has every chance of going on to be a lawyer – thanks to your sponsorship and I have every faith he will be an excellent one – besides, with his posh new office shoes how could he fail?!

Keep checking the site for details of our next few days  as the school term begins and we admit a new child to the sponsorship programme.

Emmanuel Kai in the house he built with his smart new office shoes for a lawyer!