Nuns hope to raise more money for Kenya school project

The proceeds of vocal and instrumental concerts to be held by the Sliema Youth Big Band later this month will go to the Daughters of the Sacred Heart to help them continue with the building of their girls' secondary school in Mpeketoni, Kenya.

The concerts will be held at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta on January 28 and 29 at 7.30 p.m.

The school, which the nuns started to build five years ago, is already taking four classes - two classes at Form One and a class each at Form Two and Form Three. Close to 200 students attend the school.

Sr Pauline Farrugia said the congregation had a dream which it was slowly turning into reality. Through their school, the nuns want to raise the educational level of girls in Kenya for they believe that it is better to educate people to be able to live and support themselves than to just feed them.

The students, who board at the school during school days, were proud to be going to school and were proud of the school, said Sr Farrugia. When they heard that Maltese nuns were visiting during the holidays they took the opportunity to learn some typing and crafts.

Sr Pauline described the girls as very intelligent and ambitious. They took the most promising students but did not exclude others who needed certain support such as children from orphanages and others who were lacking in love. Some were victims of AIDS. Close to 25 per cent of Kenyans are AIDS victims but awareness was increasing, she said.

The school project is estimated to cost about Lm280,000 and more than Lm50,000 are still needed to complete it, possibly by next year.

The Daughters of the Sacred Heart also need funds to run orphanages for abused children and children whose parents died of AIDS. They also feed a lot of street children.

The public can sponsor children by donating Lm5 each month to the nuns to cover education, food and other needs. In fact, there are about 500 Kenyan children sponsored by Maltese people.

Donations can be sent to Sr Farrugia or Sr Catherine Seychell at 100, St Therese Convent, Gorg Borg Olivier Street, Mellieha or deposited in APS Bank account 10224513044.

The Daughters of the Sacred Heart Sisters run other missions in India and South Korea.

Sigmund Mifsud said the admission fee for the concert on both days was Lm3 but donations would be welcome. The price was nominal to encourage a good attendance.

A selection of popular music including sound tracks and musicals would be played. The selection includes Rhapsody in Blue, Fiddler on the Roof, Theme from ET, excerpts from the musical 1565 and songs from Abba.

Guest artists will include Trilogy (Aleonor Spiteri, Cliff Zammit and Roger Triganza), Martina Borg and Nadine Axisa.

For ticket information call 9944 3460.