KENCAN Connection
Welcome to the KENCAN Connection. The name stands for the Kenya Canada Connection. We decided to create this blog as a means of networking, sharing information and making a connection with others working for improving life in Kenya.
Two years ago we created The Ronnie Fund, a humanitarian organization working to provide quality village life in Kenya. Our work is primarily in Wongonyi Village, located high in the Taita Taveta Hills in southeastern Kenya. Over the past two years we have experienced an interesting journey helping our friend Ronnie, a young man in Kenya, achieve his dream of empowering the people of his village and the youth of Kenya to a better way of life. During this time we have met many wonderful people who are also working in Kenya on similar projects or connected to Kenya. From people in the Kenya High Commission and the Kenyan Community in Ontario to regular folks just like us who have met someone who has inspired them to share the blessings they have been given to provide equality of life for others who are without. And so we hope that this blog will become an open forum for sharing. We sometimes feel it is hard being so far away from Kenya most of the time but that through the KENCAN Connection, we can help each other to make a difference, whether it is through fundraising, information exchange, perhaps combining resources to send over a container of supplies or provide a center in Nairobi for visitors to congregate and network (www.easysite.com/mdawidahomestay).
An example of the connection is our recent meeting with Kyla & Greg McMullen-Dent, also of Muskoka who are working to build a school in Kenya. Kyla told us of her project with a women’s group who are making cloth sanitary napkins for girls and women. Ronnie told us that was a problem in Wongonyi, so Kyla shared with us her pattern and told us of Charles, her Kenyan contact for the project. A week later, Charles met with Ronnie in Nairobi to discuss the implementation of a similar project in Wongonyi, at the same time Ronnie was able to enlighten Charles on how he could reduce his cell phone charges by 98%. Had we and Kyla not connected, Ronnie and Charles would not have met. Now they are helping each other in Kenya, as we and Kyla are helping each other in Canada – that’s the beauty of the KENCAN Connection.
Our story - The Ronnie Fund is working with Wongonyi Village. To date we have initiated several projects, the purchase and creation of Biosand Water Filters for homes in the village, purchase of irrigation pumps for farming groups and a brickmaker, funding of a new two seater western-style toilet for Wongonyi Primary School as well as provision of farming, carpentry and masonry tools thanks to our many donors and sponsors. This past summer our family traveled to Wongonyi Village to meet the people and find out the current needs of those in the village. Now we are raising funds to provide equipment for Mwambirwa Health Centre (District Hospital) and educational supplies and structural repairs for Wongonyi Primary School. We are already planning our next trip to see our new family and friends in Wongonyi. To learn more about our work in Wongonyi Village and our inspiration, Ronnie Mdawida – a young man making a difference in Kenya, we encourage you to check out our website at www.easysite.com/theronniefund.
We invite you to join our blog and tell us the story of your work in Kenya, the source of your passion and how we might help each other. We feel this is a wonderful journey and we have just started out towards our destination. We hope you’ll join us for the trip.
Kathy, Peter, Martha and Jeremy Wood
“If we are lucky enough to be living a good life, we should recognize this gift and thank God for it by looking out for others who need our help in breaking out of the cycle of poverty.”
Dalai Lama
Welcome to the KENCAN Connection. The name stands for the Kenya Canada Connection. We decided to create this blog as a means of networking, sharing information and making a connection with others working for improving life in Kenya.
Two years ago we created The Ronnie Fund, a humanitarian organization working to provide quality village life in Kenya. Our work is primarily in Wongonyi Village, located high in the Taita Taveta Hills in southeastern Kenya. Over the past two years we have experienced an interesting journey helping our friend Ronnie, a young man in Kenya, achieve his dream of empowering the people of his village and the youth of Kenya to a better way of life. During this time we have met many wonderful people who are also working in Kenya on similar projects or connected to Kenya. From people in the Kenya High Commission and the Kenyan Community in Ontario to regular folks just like us who have met someone who has inspired them to share the blessings they have been given to provide equality of life for others who are without. And so we hope that this blog will become an open forum for sharing. We sometimes feel it is hard being so far away from Kenya most of the time but that through the KENCAN Connection, we can help each other to make a difference, whether it is through fundraising, information exchange, perhaps combining resources to send over a container of supplies or provide a center in Nairobi for visitors to congregate and network (www.easysite.com/mdawidahomestay).
An example of the connection is our recent meeting with Kyla & Greg McMullen-Dent, also of Muskoka who are working to build a school in Kenya. Kyla told us of her project with a women’s group who are making cloth sanitary napkins for girls and women. Ronnie told us that was a problem in Wongonyi, so Kyla shared with us her pattern and told us of Charles, her Kenyan contact for the project. A week later, Charles met with Ronnie in Nairobi to discuss the implementation of a similar project in Wongonyi, at the same time Ronnie was able to enlighten Charles on how he could reduce his cell phone charges by 98%. Had we and Kyla not connected, Ronnie and Charles would not have met. Now they are helping each other in Kenya, as we and Kyla are helping each other in Canada – that’s the beauty of the KENCAN Connection.
Our story - The Ronnie Fund is working with Wongonyi Village. To date we have initiated several projects, the purchase and creation of Biosand Water Filters for homes in the village, purchase of irrigation pumps for farming groups and a brickmaker, funding of a new two seater western-style toilet for Wongonyi Primary School as well as provision of farming, carpentry and masonry tools thanks to our many donors and sponsors. This past summer our family traveled to Wongonyi Village to meet the people and find out the current needs of those in the village. Now we are raising funds to provide equipment for Mwambirwa Health Centre (District Hospital) and educational supplies and structural repairs for Wongonyi Primary School. We are already planning our next trip to see our new family and friends in Wongonyi. To learn more about our work in Wongonyi Village and our inspiration, Ronnie Mdawida – a young man making a difference in Kenya, we encourage you to check out our website at www.easysite.com/theronniefund.
We invite you to join our blog and tell us the story of your work in Kenya, the source of your passion and how we might help each other. We feel this is a wonderful journey and we have just started out towards our destination. We hope you’ll join us for the trip.
Kathy, Peter, Martha and Jeremy Wood
“If we are lucky enough to be living a good life, we should recognize this gift and thank God for it by looking out for others who need our help in breaking out of the cycle of poverty.”
Dalai Lama
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