Muhoroni People’s Foundation
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Muhoroni People’s Foundation
We rely solely on individual contributions in the form of education sponsorship, one-off donations and the purchase of our beautiful handmade baskets – all painstakingly woven in locally grown sisal by the women we support in Muhoroni.
All of our volunteers give their services for free and pay their own travel expenses – so that every single penny donated to our charity goes straight back into helping the vulnerable women and children of Muhoroni.
“After visiting Kenya and staying with the wonderful Sr. Vincent the founder of the missionary hospital St. Vincent De Paul in Muhoroni, Western Kenya, I became heavily involved as the people of the region really stole a piece of my heart.
What started off by taking suitcases full of donated clothes, stationary, hygiene products evolved quite quickly after seeing the tireless efforts of Sr. Vincent – a true inspiration.
Further frequent visits with volunteering friends and spending time out in the community forged the pathway for the group.
Witnessing the sometimes dire situation that women in particular found themselves in prompted me into action.
With a large network of local women wanting to share their stories with me, the focus was on education, healthcare and finding a sustainable way to improve the lives of them and their families.
I spend as much time in Muhoroni as possible. Bringing volunteers whenever there is a demand, with new ideas and bags of enthusiasm (and donated clothes).”
“Early in 2022, I was able to pay my first visit (of many) to Muhoroni and saw for myself just how hard life is for the widows and single parents that we are supporting. I was also struck by their sheer resilience, pride and resourcefulness. These women survive despite the odds – and we want to help them and their children thrive.
So Muhoroni now has a piece of my heart, too – seeing “our ladies” grow in confidence, health and stature, proud of their achievements, and watching their children grow and learn. As Maxine says, we’re just “girls helping girls”and what has been achieved so far is astounding. But there is so much more to be done. And nearly every day there’s a new family or child who needs our help – a child needing an operation, or a newly widowed woman struggling to pay her rent.
“Asante sana” (thank you so much) for your interest and support of our little charity. We have so much to be grateful for.“
I have been going to Muhoroni annually for 5 years now and the first visit was the hardest. The living conditions some endure meant children died unnecessarily. That was when we decided to do something! The main criterium was the empowerment of vulnerable women – by providing them with transferable skills, a sustainable income, support for their families’ medical needs and education, and a safe haven.
Our first route for ‘referrals’ was the malnutrition clinic. This flagged a possible crisis need of support. We met with the mums to discuss their individual situations. One dad’s plight stood out. Recently widowed, he had three children under 4, now no income and was in arrears for his rent due to funeral costs… No social services, no allowances and no government support.
What has evolved from then has been nothing less than remarkable. The ladies at the sisal basket-weaving workshop we set up support each other through crises and challenges. Through the sale of the baskets they produce, we financially support over 100 children in education, from nursery to university, many sponsored by our generous supporters. We are also able to support the parents of children who need operations, such as cleft palate or club foot. And we now have a fulltime tutor (who was himself supported through college by our Foundation) who monitors the children’s progress, liaising with schools, giving additional revision and coaching as required.
I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved, which is undoubtedly through having Maxine at the helm driving us all.
Volunteer and advisor, The Muhoroni People’s Foundation
A month long visit to Muhoroni in 2024 with his lifelong friend Maxine ignited in Brian a passion to help the people he met there. The community took to him with warmth and love – embracing his big smiley humour and enthusiasm for new projects.
Using the design and production skills he’d honed over a long career in retail and clothing, Brian designed a new range of sisal Christmas decorations and took huge pleasure in working closely with our weaving ladies to work out how to produce them. He wore his big heart on his sleeve – everyone he met there loved him. The children fondly called him Babu (Grandad & respected Elder) and he loved them.
On one visit to a family we were supporting, Brian was so touched by their depth of poverty that he insisted on paying for the installation of a rainwater collection tank, to give them a clean source of drinking water.
Returning to the UK, Brian continued to help in whatever way he could, using his sales and retail skills to advantage, to sell football memorabilia and other valuable merchandise to raise funds for our charity as well as researching work for many other projects we are planning.
Heartbreakingly, Brian passed away suddenly in May 2025. His friends in Muhoroni celebrated his life with a special Mass, speaking with love about the man who they had instantly loved for his big generous heart and his loud shouts of laughter. RIP our dear friend Brian. Missed so much by us all.
© Muhoroni People’s Foundation 2024 | Legal & Privacy Info | Registered charity number: 1206194 (England and Wales)