“Any worries that we have about our lives back home are quickly extinguished when you visit a project like this one”
Darren Moore is assisting with a fundraising drive to help improve the lives of some of the poorest children in Kenya after a personal visit to witness their daily struggle.
The former Head Coach at West Bromwich Albion undertook a five-day trip to Nakuru in Kenya just a week after leaving his post at The Hawthorns.
Darren, ambassador for our West Midlands-based charity Inspire Afrika wanted to see first-hand our efforts to raise the living standards and aspirations for youngsters eking out daily survival from the most meagre surrounds.
Inspire Afrika have targeted a fundraising appeal for just £3-a-week from supporters – enough to cover daily schooling and food for a youngster living in this impoverished region.
Darren spent three days visiting the Ronaken School in Nakuru as well as making a short trip to the notorious Giotto Dump – little more than a rubbish mountain from which some youngsters are forced to scavenge daily survival.
He finished the trip with a new group of admirers waving him farewell and visibly moved by the experience.
He said: “It was a humbling experience and it puts our day-to-day lives back home into context. Naturally, we get caught up and wrapped up in what we’re doing at home, and we don’t give enough thought to the people in the world who are suffering.
“Any worries that we have about our lives back home are quickly extinguished when you visit a project like this one.
“The smiles and happiness the children bring you, despite having so little themselves, is incredible.
“Inspire Afrika is a great charity that is doing great work to assist the children I visited. The thing that sold them to me was their direct approach.”
Darren has been associated with Inspire Afrika, which works in partnership with The Albion Foundation, since 2014 and its co-founders Sallyann Wright and Neil Burn accompanied him on this trip.
“Darren has been supportive of our work for a long time now but we always knew it would be important for him to see the project himself,” she said.
“Darren was brilliant throughout the trip, which I knew he would be. He’s a humble guy who has done a lot for charity over the years. That said, to commit so much of his time to this visit, so soon after the blow of losing his own job, speaks volumes.
“He’s such a warm character and that breaks down any language barrier. The kids ran straight to him when he arrived and I don’t think they left his side until we had to come home.
“We’re hoping this won’t be his last visit and we thank him for his ongoing support.”
As well as answering the appeal to sponsor a child for £3 a week, the charity offers you the chance to walk in Darren’s footsteps and experience a life-changing trip to the region. Inspire Afrika have no paid staff – and all funds raised support the school.
Recent Comments