14th May 08

Friends in Naivasha say that things are settling down. Debbie reports that everything is fine at the shelter.

The dormitory paid for by Romilly's Foundation in Britain and her Association in France cost £33,700 and was opened with the rest of the site in June 2003. It comprises 370 m2 of accommodation: 2 dormitories, 2 ablutions blocks, a store room, matron's apartment, a laundry, the bunk beds and fitted cupboards. The shelter is managed by Debbie Case, one of the trustees of the Naivasha Children's Trust, which was set up in 2001 by local Naivasha people to administer the land and facilities that were being donated to the project. Without Debbie, her team, and Steve Thompson who supervised the works, the project could not have developed in the wonderful way in which it has.

The Naivasha project originally evolved from a plan put forward by the YMCA Kabati branch in 1999 to run a day care centre for street children. Romilly's Foundation heard about the plan that year and early in 2000, having seen the site agreed to pay for a teacher's salary, suggested the construction of a shelter, which it offered to pay for. The scheme was administered by the East African Women's League. We feel that Romilly's early commitment acted as a catalyst encouraging others in the community to make significant contributions: Egal and Melissa Elfzouaty and their business associates at Panda Flowers very generously dedicated 10 acres of their farm to the project.