Of course, we never doubted they'd arrive. No, that's a lie. I think I'd mentally written them off a couple of months ago. But Karen in Nairobi was optimistic. When I last spoke with her she said, "Don't worry, they'll make it. I am planning a new project for young mothers with babies and they have to be here in time for that."
Karen's faith in Posta Kenya was not misplaced after all. So what'll happen to these globe-trotting jumpers from Cooma?
In January, Love Shack will open the first class of its new "Little Citizen's Day Care" project. The idea is to support teenage mothers from Nairobi's slums by providing holistic care for the children and parenting education to the mums. The knits will be distributed to the little ones, who will also receive "a bath, clean clothes, breakfast, a health check and a cuddle" every day they visit. By the time the kids are old enough for school their mums will be self-sufficient and able to pay school fees.
And there's another goal, too:
The founder of Love Shack, Karen Ward, lived in the slum for two years in order to conduct a grassroots assessment of the needs of the children. It is clear to anyone that spends time in Kenya that real reform of the country lies in educating the citizens. At Little Citizen's Day Care we will set a foundation of fundamental values and ethics that will set children on a path to a bright and honest future. [Project concept paper.]If, like us, you think that a project like this is worth supporting then you might consider flinging a few bob in Love Shack's direction (more info here). I'll post more news about the jumpers and the teen mums education project in the next few months.
