As the year 2011 coming to its end we would like to record our appreciation and gratitude to all our benefactors.

This year we had increased the school fees very minimal but the price of food items more than doubled. The Sean Devereux Children’s Fund came to our aid through Mr. and Mrs. Lion and sponsored food for us. Sean Devereux Children’s Fund has also sponsored the extension work on the Notre Dame Hostel, additional staff house, solar equipment for the administration block and many other things.

A big thank you to the Trustees especially to Mr. Alan Lion and Mrs. Nicki Lion who are working tirelessly to see that our students receive those things which will help them to be better equipped. We also express our gratitude to the Salesian College of Farnborough (England) which raised the fund for the purchase of food.

Dear Sean Devereux Children’s Trust,

I know that you have a special interest in the plight of children in Africa and have been very generous in the past to Mary’s Meals which feeds more than half a million children each school day in Africa.

I thought you might like to know about our work in East Africa and in particular what we are managing to achieve in Somalia where very few agencies are able to work. Read the rest of this entry »

December 2011

Hello Alan

Thank you very much for your mail and here is a report on the current project:

i) At the moment, bricks is being moulded for the construction of the walls. The raising of the walls will begin by the 15th of January.  Bernard assures me that once the brick blocks are dry enough for construction, he will start (probably before that 15th)

ii) Tap water is on site and the pupils and parents are already benefiting from this hygienic and life saving gift.

iii) Part of the drainage system, toilets and preparation of wood was installed in September also. Read the rest of this entry »

During the Children’s’ Dignity Forum held towards the end of 2011 it was reported that more than 180 young girls in the Tarime District of Tanzania were prevented from carrying out their studies due to gender-based violence at the start of the year. A number of these who were under the age of 18 years at the time also gave birth in the local hospital. Most of these babies that were conceived during the violence were to young mothers who did not seek medical help during their pregnancy therefore putting their lives in jeopardy.

The young people have now missed their right to an education and it is felt that there is a need to rectify this situation. Part of the problem is due to outdated customs such as female genital mutilation and early marriages resulting in teenage pregnancies.

The government is trying to alleviate this situation and any help from civil and non-government organizations is most welcome.

The Forum co-ordinator also said that there is a moral obligation to fight this gender based violence and more education is needed especially in rural areas.

SEDHURO (Sean Devereux Human Rights Organisation) , an independent, non-religious, not-for profit making and non-political local non-governmental organisation, was established in Kismayo on 21st September 2002.

The main purpose is to contribute and foster the ideals of human rights, democracy, good governance and community sustainable peace within Somali communities.

The outbreak of the devastating civil war in 1991,followed by the collapse of the Somali state’s political and socio-economic institutions, had resulted an the anarchy situation where the individual and human rights of the ordinary Somali people was violated. Large number of civilian population fled out of the country into the neighbouring countries and many others ended up in the internally displaced camps within the country. Read the rest of this entry »