The Luanda Project
Making a Difference: Our Journey Over Three Years
One of the most important parts of our work is responding to practical needs identified by our partners. This year, for example, we were able to provide 30 mattresses, blankets and pillows for students living in a school dormitory. We also helped improve the dormitory facilities by providing mirrors and shower curtains. We also completed one of our biggest projects since returning to Kenya: replacing a badly damaged school roof. The old roof leaked heavily during the rainy season, meaning that water came into the bedrooms while children were sleeping. We were able to remove the old roof and install a completely new one, providing a safer and more secure environment for the children. We have also begun work on improving sports facilities, laying the foundations for a new sports pitch which we hope to complete next year.
These projects demonstrate how money raised by our students can be turned into practical improvements that have a direct and lasting impact.
Building a New Kitchen at St Paul’s School
One of the most significant projects we have supported since returning to Kenya is the construction of a kitchen at St Paul’s School. During our visit, we saw first-hand that many children arrive at school without having anything to eat. For some children, the meal they receive at school can be their only meal of the day.
As a group, we discussed how we could provide longer-term support and agreed to build a kitchen where meals can be prepared for the children. Following a delayed Kenya Airways flight on our journey to Kenya, compensation was received by the students who were affected. The students and their families agreed that the compensation should be donated to the kitchen project. As a result, £6,500 was transferred to Kenya and donated towards the construction of the new kitchen.
We are delighted that construction has now begun.
This project is particularly meaningful because it will provide a permanent facility that can support the school for many years to come. It will enable the school to prepare and provide meals for its pupils in a safe and suitable environment.
The kitchen is a wonderful example of how the Luanda Project works: our students identify a need through their experience in Kenya, our community raises funds, and together we can turn that support into something practical and lasting.
We look forward to following the progress of the construction and sharing updates with the St Michael’s community as the new kitchen takes shape.
Supporting Children and Families
Education is at the heart of our partnership, but we recognise that children cannot learn effectively if their basic needs are not being met. Some families we work with have very limited or no regular income. We therefore use some of our fundraising to help with school fees and essential costs, enabling children to remain in education.
Food is another important part of our work. In some schools, the meal a child receives during the school day may be their only meal. We have therefore contributed towards school lunches and food provision.
We also support vulnerable members of the wider parish community. This includes providing food to people who are unwell and unable to provide for themselves.
Fundraising
Our fundraising takes place throughout the school year and involves the whole St Michael’s community.
Students and staff have organised and supported a wide range of activities, including:
Bubble Tea sales;
the Christmas Bazaar;
Non-Uniform Days;
Big Sleepovers;
cake sales;
individual fundraising activities.
We are always grateful for new fundraising ideas and for the enthusiasm of our students, who play an important role in making the project possible.
Donations
We also collect practical items throughout the year to take to Kenya.
We are particularly grateful for donations of:
new stationery;
pens, pencils, crayons and pencil sharpeners;
pencil cases and stickers;
skipping ropes;
outdoor sports equipment and sports T-shirts;
new toys;
footballs and basketballs;
scientific calculators;
unused tablets and laptops, with personal data removed;
school bags in very good condition;
sweets
Donations can be brought to the RE Office.
Looking Ahead: 2026/ 2027
Our partnership with Luanda continues to grow, and this year we are building on the work we have already begun with a number of projects designed to respond to specific needs identified during our visits.
1. New school uniforms for children in greatest need
One of our first priorities this year has been to help some of the children who are most in need of support. During our visit, we saw that some children were wearing old and badly worn school uniforms that were no longer fit for purpose and, more importantly, did not reflect the dignity every child deserves.
Our teachers came together to raise £310, which has already been sent to Kenya to purchase new school uniforms for children from the poorest families. We are looking forward to sharing photographs of the children receiving their new uniforms and seeing the difference this simple but important support can make.
2. A new kitchen for one of Luanda's poorest schools
At the beginning of November, we will begin another major project: the construction of a new kitchen at one of the poorest schools we work with.
For many of the children at this school, the meal they receive during the school day is their only meal of the day. Having a safe and suitable kitchen will therefore make a significant difference to the school's ability to provide regular meals for its pupils.
The project will be funded in full by the St Michael's team who took part in the Luanda Project last year. We are incredibly proud that the generosity of our school community is making it possible to support this important long-term improvement.
3. Giving a young girl Evelyn the chance of a different future
One of the most important projects we are supporting this year began with something very simple: we noticed a child who needed help.
During our visit, we met a young girl who has been using a wheelchair for the past eight years. She had never previously received the medical assessment needed to understand the cause of her condition or whether treatment might be possible.
Having met her and learned about her circumstances, we felt that we could not simply walk away. We are now working to support her through the process of medical diagnosis, rehabilitation and, where medically appropriate, surgery, with the hope of giving her the best possible opportunity to regain mobility and independence.
This is a particularly important part of the Luanda Project because it shows what our partnership can achieve beyond fundraising alone. By being present, listening and getting to know the people and communities we work with, we can sometimes identify needs that might otherwise remain unseen.
Continuing our commitment
These projects are only part of our plans for 2027. We will continue to listen to our partner schools and the local community and direct our support towards the areas where it can make the greatest difference.
Since returning to the Luanda Project in 2024, the St Michael's community has already donated £29,000 in cash to support our partners in Kenya. This year's projects build on that commitment and demonstrate what can be achieved when students, staff and families work together.
Every donation helps us turn our partnership into practical action, supporting education, dignity, health and opportunity for children and families in Luanda.
