Charity plays a major part in school life here at Peponi and all students are encouraged to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves. Peponi believes that contributing to the larger community in which we live is an important part of developing as a compassionate and thoughtful person. We carry out numerous fund raising events throughout the year organised by our Charity Committee and students in the school.
The Charity Committee of parents, teachers and students is constantly thinking of new and innovative fund raising ideas. This year’s committee consists of:
One of our major fund raising events is the annual Hog Charge, which is now a country wide event not to be missed. It raises money for Car Number 35 , driven by Mark Tilbury to enter the Rhino Charge and this past year the school raised 4.7 million shillings for Team Tilbury. The pupils also organise smaller money raising events such as bake sales, mufty days, film evenings and every year all pupils take part in a fun sponsored event.
The main focus for our charity fund raising has, for many years, been the Ruiru Rehabilitation Centre [the RRC] and this year we are pleased to be partnering Bloxham School in the UK who are helping to raise funds for a new primary school at the RRC. At present, architectural plans are being drawn up and we hope to begin construction on the first few classrooms soon. This will make a big difference to the children of the RRC as the youngest and most vulnerable students will not have to face a long walk to school along the new and dangerous Thika Highway. Money raised by Peponi students has helped to enrich the lives of the children at the RRC by providing the equipment for the new library at the Centre and organising a book drop.
RuiruKids Website
At Speech Day this year an appeal was organised to help feed the orphans and street children of Thika, through the Macheo Children’s Centre. Every Peponi family generously contributed to the food drop and enough food was donated and enough money raised to feed the children of one slum in Thika for a year and a half.
Macheo Children’s Centre is a home in Thika run by Marnix Huis in’t Veld and his wife Florence. The Centre cares for 56 children and runs feeding and health programmes for disadvantaged children and their families in the surrounding slums through their Outreach programmes. Macheo aims to give children in Kenya a better future and Peponi is proud to be a part of that.
Macheo Website
Peponi is also supporting the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, raising money for abused women in Kenya.
Each term Peponi welcomes two Gap students from the UK who come out to Kenya, not only to help Peponi, but also to assist at the local primary school, Ndini. The Gap students teach English and organize fun activities for the Ndini students here at school assisted by Peponi students working towards their President’s Awards.
The President’s Award in Kenya is a well respected self-development programme, linked to the British Duke of Edinburgh Scheme and in order to attain these prestigious awards our students have to complete an extended Community Service programme, helping out at Ndini School and the RRC and raising money for school charities.