Irish Build Kenyan Orphanage
Updated : Jun 13, 2009
A group of builders that VeryHappyPig told you about three weeks ago put their Big R blues aside traveled to Kenya and built an orphanage in just 13 days.
The Kildare men and women went out with Tara Projects, a newly registered Irish charity, to provide a proper home with decent sanitary facilities for up to 100 orphans in Nairobi.
"What these guys did in just 13 days was amazing," said Paddy O'Connor, the organiser of the €66,000 build.
"The whole thing was built and fitted with 100 new beds, mattresses, pillows and ovens, and 90 kids this week are now sleeping in a lovely dormitory with wash basins and basic human rights, really."
Paddy told the Evening Herald the group of 23 men and eight women worked solidly for 13 days.
He said: "They were up at 6.30 every morning ready for work, and they were utter gentlemen as well. They often stopped when the kids came over and downed tools to play ball with them for a few minutes.
"For the first five days, the girls took the bus out to places like the giraffe centre and a safari walk, just to get the children out of the slums."
He added that the Africans were curious about the Irish men who were able to build a huge orphanage complex in less than two weeks.
"A crowd from the local village came down to see the building, and I'd say it was the biggest building for miles around. For it to go up that fast, they couldn't believe it," Paddy said.
The crew built a new playground for the children, and two extra bedrooms which will be rented out to volunteers for a small fee.
Meanwhile, Paddy has received a big boost from the Irish Government. "Tara Projects was registered as an Irish charity last week, and I'm now applying to the Kenyan government to be a registered charity in Africa
VeryHappyPig says all charities should send VHP their uplifting stories. VHP loves to spread such good news.