This began in 2007 following a visit to Max.West church from Winnie Ouwoer from Kenya on holiday in Scotland. When retired she had returned to her birth village, she explained finding great poverty within the community which needed help and could we consider this.
Following a visit from two of our members to Bondo, on the edge of Lake Victoria Kenya, and hearing of the desperate plight of a community who had nothing, our Kirk Session agreed we must help.
Our first focus was the children, providing monthly food money, mosquito nets and sleeping mats. Next we provided deep wells for clean water, followed by sanitation.
Winnie started a small nursery school and encouraged the community to grow vegetables and the excess was sold at local markets. Small businesses grew well, eventually we provided fishing boats and nets helping more business opportunities and good food for all.
The little school grew to having nine teachers and with extra training were recognised by the local education authority.
By 2017 they had grown to a thriving community of which Winnie was very proud. Each year she sent us a report with grateful thanks from the Bondo community. Their fish farming grew into a thriving business which kept Winnie and her community very busy. We were told of the Tilapia fish sold at markets in Nairobi and beyond with demand for stocks greatly helping the prosperity of Bondo.
At that point now over 10 years we felt Max West church had achieved our goal.
In February 2018 the Kirk Session and World Church Team considered that the level of self-sufficiency and success of Bondo community met our original objective so we decided discontinue our funding.
A letter of congratulations of success was sent to Winnie. She gave so much help and encouragement to give children an education and bring her community a better life. We wished them well with God’s Blessing for their future.
We thanked our loyal supporters for all the years of regular funding for which we believed to be over £72,000. They can be proud when reflecting on the results, helping the community become self-sufficient and with Gods word to us…