Family project
In a few weeks, we will be on a plane to Mombasa, Kenya. It's hard to believe how quickly we were able to set up our own project! The realization of a dream...
"We" are my husband Sascha, myself, Pascale, and our two children, Sebastian (11) and Vivienne (10). So far, no one in our family has had contact with Africa except for me. In 2008, I undertook a four-week journey from Victoria Falls to Cape Town, traveling with a group of mixed people in a MAN truck. We camped at beautiful locations, and I took away many valuable experiences. However, what I almost completely missed was contact with the locals. Only once did I have the opportunity to visit a slum and talk to some residents and children. That day deeply moved me and left a lasting impression. Since then, I have carried the desire within me to travel to Africa again someday, preferably as part of a social project, to dedicate myself to the land and its people, along with the joys and challenges that come with it.
When we learned shortly after Christmas 2020 that our annual family donation could not go to the usual project because it had already been completed, I heard for the first time about Harrison’s Primary School in Mshomoroni, which a certain Joshua Schmidli from Bern was supporting. A short video in which he and the school principal, Harrison, thanked us on-site for our donation touched me so deeply that I wanted to get in touch with Joshua immediately. A quick email turned into a phone call, and it became clear that we wanted to engage in the construction or renovation of this school from metal shacks to brick classrooms. So we started collecting donations, clothes, and shoes, with the clear goal of flying to Mombasa in October to see the school in person and help with the construction.
The response to our call for clothes, shoes, school supplies, and toys was great from the very beginning, and over the weeks, we also collected a significant amount of donations. Since we only had limited capacity for transporting goods, but heard from many families who wanted to donate toys, we came up with the idea of organizing a toy flea market in our village of Kestenholz to benefit Harrison’s Primary School from the proceeds. Preparing for this event took some time, but it also touched us deeply! So many familiar and unfamiliar people (!) brought me wonderful toys (sometimes entire truckloads!) to support our project. My practice and Sascha's racing bike showroom temporarily became a storage space where we could keep everything dry and protected.
Through a previous collaboration at another local station, I was even able to enlist the lovely Renate from TeleM1 for our project. She spontaneously took a day to film and interview us among all our boxes and toys. With her unique style, she created a wonderful experience for us and produced a fantastic contribution.--- If you need anything else, just let me know!
At the end of June 2021, the flea market took place, which became a topic of conversation throughout Kestenholz and in some neighboring villages. The rush, especially in the first two hours, was overwhelming, and countless toys found their way to new little and big owners. The donated coffee and the many lovingly baked and donated desserts were equally popular. Everyone was very generous, and by the end of the day, we were exhausted but proud to look at a full cash register.
A personal highlight for me was and still is that Joshua, along with his mother, unexpectedly showed up at the flea market – and he is always there to support us with advice and assistance. We feel very supported by him. Currently, he is helping us with the detailed organization of our trip. Knowing that he wants to help us have an unforgettable stay is incredibly valuable to us.--- If you have any more requests or need further assistance, just let me know!
In mid-September, we want to focus on the huge mountain of clothes and shoes to sort them and prepare them for air transport. The goal is for the goods to arrive in Mshomoroni during the 3-4 weeks we will be on-site, so that we can distribute them to the students, their families, and other people in need.
This transport of goods will incur additional costs. The previous donations will be fully used as promised for the (re)construction of the school. If anyone would like to specifically contribute to the transport costs, we would be very grateful. Such donations should be marked "Transport" and sent to the existing donation account.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and can hardly wait to board the plane and start our family trip. What a privilege it is for us as a family to embark on such a unique adventure… THANK YOU to everyone who supports us in any way, you are amazing!"
