Kenya - what is happening on the ground and how has Aidlink responded?

Kenya is currently experiencing its worst drought and famine in over ten years with the arid and semi arid regions most affected. Kadajio, the focal point of one of our partners, the Girl Child Network, reports that the semi arid region & its people, the Maasai, are suffering greatly. The drought has resulted in 100% crop failure, numerous deaths of animals and a significant reduction in the school enrolment rates with the region under threat of a full scale famine.

To address the looming disaster, Aidlink released funds to the Girl Child Network to facilitate the commencement of an emergency school feeding programs in ten schools in Kadajio. The project, targeting 3,500 pupils, is providing a daily food (at least one meal) supply for the children and the trucking in of water to fill the existing tanks on site. The Schools were identified in close collaboration and consultation with the district emergency coordinating committee. All ten schools were selected because of the severity of the drought locally and the fact that they are not receiving food aid from any other organizations; the high rates of school absenteeism due to lack of food, increased cases of malnutrition among the children in lower primary and those in Early Childhood Development Centres; lack of safe drinking water sources in the surrounding community and lack of intervention by other agencies or government departments in the selected schools.

It is hoped that this emergency schools feeding program will see these communities through this devastating drought until the rains fall and commence some growth rejuvenation and hopefully avert the onset of a famine.

Aidlink's partner, the Diocese of Lodwar, operate in the district of Turkana in Northern Kenya and are facing similar conditions for the people in that locality. If you want to read more on the situation in Turkana, you can check out this article. The Diocese of Lodwar are also involved in an emergency feeding program in this region. They are also engaged in tackling the ongoing challenges of annual drought in this semi arid region through the implementation of a water, irrigation and agricultural programme. This is known locally as a 'Shamba' Programme. A Shamba is a small farm.

If you would like to support these programmes or the people of this region, please make a donation by following the link on the Home Page. It is important that you clearly state which programme you would like to support and Aidlink will ensure your money is directed accordingly.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Aidlink works with partners in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana. As part of developing and strengthening relationships with these partners and monitoring the agreed programmes of work these partners implement, Aidlink visits these partners at least one a year. In August of this year, Ms Anne Cleary, Executive Director, visited Uganda and more recently, in November, Anne was accompanied by Aidlink's Programme Officer, Ms. Hilary Minch, in visiting the partners in Kenya. Photos and a detailed update on their visits will be available on our website very soon. Ghana are also getting a visit in December 2009.

Mini-Marathon

The Women's Mini-Marathon, which took place on 1st June 2009, was a resounding success. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the women who participated to raise funds for Aidlink's projects in Africa, we are delighted to reveal that the total raised was a staggering €14,000. Aidlink would like to reiterate how appreciative we are of all your support.

We look forward to your support again next year. Keep an eye on the website for details of next year's event.

Aidlink News

Aidlink would like to welcome two new members of staff who have joined the team in recent months. Ms. Hilary Minch commenced her work as a Programme Officer in May of this year and Ms. Gemma Grimes took up the role of Administrator in September.

Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon 2009
The annual Flora Women's Mini Marathon will take place on Monday the 1st of June. This year, Aidlink is aiming for 150 women to take part and raise funds for Aidlink. By doing so, participants will add to the fantastic achievement of completing the Mini Marathon by supporting sustainable development projects in Africa, which focus on the provision of basic needs such as clean water, basic education and health care.

If you would like to join us, we will do all the work for you:

• Register your name
• Collect your number and pack 
• Distribute T-Shirts and goodie bags
• Organise the day.

All you need to do is contact Catriona at info@aidlink.ie with your name and contact number. Please be aware that increasing demand to participate means that numbers have been capped – deadline for registration is Tuesday the 21st of April. You can also register yourself at www.florawomensminimarathon.ie

We hope to see you there!

PACT Update
The six fund-raising cyclists - Alan Gray, Kevin Hillier, Brian McDermott, Ben Cunningham, Cillian O´Shea and John Garry - have returned to Ireland from their amazing journey, arriving in Dublin airport on the 15th of March. The lads were greeted with a warm welcome from family, supporters and an RTE news crew!

Although they now have the grueling 25,000km cycle behind them, the lads are continuing their fundraising efforts for programmes providing shelter, healthcare, education and vocational training for “street children” in Kenya. You can make a donation to these projects by downloading a standing order/donation form, or by donating online securely with Paypal

Please check the website regularly for details of fundraising events taking place in the coming weeks!

For more information about PACT please visit www.pacycletest.com

Newsletter
We sent out our first Aidlink newsletter of 2009 in late March, with information about fundraising events and partner news. You can download a copy here. To subscribe to our newsletter please contact us at info@aidlink.ie or on 01 473 6488.

St. Patrick's day Badge Campaign 09: Students from Blackrock College and Scoil Mhuire, Cork with the support of Independent Newspapers will be selling St. Patrick's Day badges from the 1st of March onwards. This twenty year old campaign continues to provide much needed funds for both Aidlink and GOAL. Funds from the campaign are divided equally between both

PACT: The PACT cyclists are on the home stretch now, getting ever closer to their final destination of Ushuaia, Argentina which will see them complete their amazing 16,000 mile journey, which started in Alaska. All this, to raise money for Aidlink's partners working with children in Kenya. We look forward to welcoming the lads home and hearing more about the challenges and the rewards of their amazing journey.

Although the cycle is coming to an end, the lads fundraising on behalf of Aidlink will continue! You can make a donation the projects supported by PACT in Kenya by contacting the cyclists, Aidlink, downloading a standing order/donation form, or by donating online securely with Paypal.

For more information on PACT please visit http://www.pacycletest.com

Standing Order Donations: We would like to extend our thanks to all of the people who donate to Aidlink by Standing Order. The nature of your support allows us to plan in advance the work we do with our partners in Africa. We truly appreciate your support, which is essential for us to continue our work. If you are interested in setting up a standing order for Aidlink, please click here to download a form.

Aidlink can recover tax on donations of €250 or more. If you are a PAYE taxpayer, by completing, signing and sending us a CHY2 form you will be granting permission for Aidlink to reclaim the tax paid on your donation in 2008. Click here to download the CHY2 form.

New Programme Manager appointed - We are delighted to welcome our newest member of staff - Mr. Luckas Moens, as Programme Manager. Luckas joined the team on the 1st of December and will be responsible for the development and management of the Programme Department.

Christmas Cards available now - We have beautiful, handmade cards, made from recycled paper by our partner organisation, Diocese of Lodwar in Kenya. The cards are made by young people who are part of the Diocesan Youth Programme in Turkana, Northern Kenya. The cards are available from our office at the price of €5.00 for a pack of five. Please email info@aidlink.ie or phone 01 4736488 for more information.

PACT update - As you aware, the core group of cyclists - Brian, Ben, Alan, Kevin, John and Robert - are still on their bikes and continuing their journey south into Peru for the next 1,000 miles, where they will be spending Christmas in Lima.

Street children in Kenya are already benefiting from their fundraising efforts.

Firstly , KUAP Pandipieri, our partner in Western Kenya is assisting over 200 children with improved living conditions and providing them with the education and vocational training to secure employment through their Education Programme.

In addition, our partner Diocese of Lodwar in Turkana, Northern Kenya is providing essential support, shelter, skills training, healthcare, income generating activities and support to urban youths living in Lodwar. This has been made possible by funds raised by the PACT cyclists.

For more information about the boys' journey and how to donate please visit the PACT website http://www.pacycletest.com/

PACT Update
Alan Gray, Kevin Hillier, Brian McDermott & Ben Cunningham are four students that are completing the Pan-American Cycle Test (PACT) on behalf of Aidlink. They will cycle over 16,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina and hope to raise €200,000 for Aidlink partners working with street children in Kenya. They set off in June 2008 and have Just left Vancouver and are currently travelling south through the USA. You can follow their progress and add your support by logging onto http://www.pacycletest.com/

Immersion Programme Update
This summer, St. Mary's College CSSp sent sixty students and teachers to participate in a two week immersion programme in Ghana. The project is part of the Development Education programme in St. Mary's, and is assisted by Aidlink, with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Ireland and Ghana. Everyone is now home safe and sound and the students are currently enjoying their summer holidays before returning to school in September.. To see photos from the trip and read the students diaries please visit www.ghanaimmersion.com

Aidlink is moving!
Aidlink is moving offices and will no longer be available at: 46 Lower Rathmines Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6 or on 01 4966956.

For future reference please send all correspondence to Aidlink at:
Unit 34, Greenmount Office Park, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6
We can be contacted by telephone at 01 - 4736488.

Please note that we are moving as of Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 and there may be some 'down time' while the various computer and telephone systems are being moved.

In case of an urgent requirement or inquiry, you may contact Anne Cleary, Executive Director at: 0872421413

Mini Marathon
We look forward to meeting over 100 women on June 2nd for the Women's Mini Marathon. For those who wish to join up beforehand on the day, we will meet in St. Mary's College, Rathmines @ 1pm and slowly make our way to the starting line. (Car parking and toilet facilities will be available in St Mary's on the day).

AGM
Following the AGM on April 29th, Aidlink is delighted to welcome our newly elected chairperson, Mr. Clive Byrne. Clive is currently CEO of the NAPD.

Sincere thanks go to Margo de Courcy MacDonnell, our outgoing chairperson, who continues to serve on the board and support Aidlink's agenda.

Irish Aid
Aidlink is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a block grant of €3.785 million over the next three years by Irish Aid from its Civil Society Fund. This new funding arrangement will facilitate our commitment to our partners in Kenya and Uganda.

Run the Mini-Marathon for Aidlink!
The annual Flora Women's Mini Marathon takes place on Monday 2nd June. Last year 60 women participated in the mini marathon to raise funds for Aidlink - this year we are hoping to increase that number to 120!! Will you join us? Please contact Jane in Aidlink for registration details, sponsor cards and T-Shirts. We look forward to running/walking/crawling with you!

St. Patrick's Day Badges
Thanks to everyone who took part in the St. Patrick's Day Badge Campaign 08. The GOAL embossed shamrock badge is sold in aid of both Goal and Aidlink - half of all proceeds come to Aidlink. Particular thanks to the students of Blackrock College, Dublin and Scoil Mhuire Cork & Independent Newspapers.

PACT
Alan Gray, Kevin Hillier and Brian McDermott are three students that are preparing for the Pan-American Cycle Test (PACT) on behalf of Aidlink. They will cycle over 16,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina & hope of to raise €200,000 for Aidlink partners working with street children in Kenya. They set off in June 2008 and you can follow their progress and add your support by logging onto http://www.pacycletest.com/

Aidlink Fundraising Gala Dinner
The inaugural Aidlink Fundraising Gala Dinner which took place at the Mansion House on February 9th raised over €90,000.

Immersion Programme
This summer, St. Mary's College CSSp is sending sixty students and teachers to participate in a two week immersion programme in Ghana. The project is part of the Development Education programme in St. Mary's, and is assisted by Aidlink, with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Ireland and Ghana.

This is the fourth and largest immersion programme to be facilitated by Aidlink and the Holy Ghost Fathers for St. Mary's.

Eng Day
Congratulations to all involved on a very successful Eng Day 2008! A special thanks goes to students who dragged themselves out of bed very early on a cold February 1st to collect money around the city. Well done! All funds raised will be directed to our partners in Kenya.

Aidlink's Board, staff and friends are saddened and concerned by the post election violence in Kenya since the beginning of the year. We have maintained constant communication with our partners and have provided some funds for immediate emergency relief for people affected and displaced by this crisis. Our partners have returned to their offices this week and all are assessing the needs of the communities with whom they work. Aidlink is committed to supporting our partners'�� response to their communities'�� emergency needs in addition to our long term development programmes. We hope that a swift resolution to this crisis will be found and that peace is restored.

PEI are hosting a ladies luncheon for Aidlink and The Girl Child Network on the 9th November in the Westbury Hotel. For further details check out www.pei.ie

Aidlink Mums are hosting a table quiz in St. Faugh's GAA club on November 15th at 8.00 p.m. A table of four will cost €40 or it will be €10 per head. All support greatly appreciated. For further details contact the Aidlink office.

Congratulations to all those ladies out there who raised in excess of €18,000 for Aidlink by taking part in the 2007 Flora Women's Mini-Marathon. We will post photographs of the event very shortly. If anyone has any funds outstanding please send them into the Aidlink office at 46 Lower Rathmines Road so we can release the final figure! Well done again on a very successful fundraising event.

Please join us in welcoming the summer in the Sugar Club on May 27th at 8pm for an evening in aid of Aidlink and Focus Ireland. You can enjoy entertainment from the Dublin Gospel Choir, The Emile Conway Jazz Band and DJ Rob among others! We would love to see you there. See here for details: Summers Here (PDF)