When Amistad International heard that the Amri School, a small Christian school in Kenya for impoverished children, was forced to close because the building in which the classes were held was on the verge of collapsing, and had been declared unsuitable for human habitation, it was clear that something had to be done quickly. Thanks to Amistad’s generous donors, and with support from the Youth Action for Rural Development (YARD) in the country of Kenya, the Amri School soon received the resources it needed to renovate a different building. They were even able to provide their students with desks (instead of flat benches upon which the students had previously sat to do their work), as well as textbooks, supplies and even uniforms for their students. Amistad also made it possible for the Amri school to provide a small stipend to its teachers, who had been working voluntarily.

Karen Kotoske received the following e-mail from YARD director Sebastian Maina Wambugu: “Greetings from Kenya. Amri reopened its new doors after being relocated and given a face lift. Currently a total of 70 children have enrolled for Preschool and grades 1, 2 and 3. The pupils and teachers are very happy [because of] the new Amri. The environment is now conducive to learning. The children can now sit comfortably at their new blue desks. A water tank, books, chalks, pens, and chalkboards have also been purchased. For the first time, the teachers now operate from a staff room!”

The teachers from Amri School relay their deep gratitude to Amistad for helping to make these changes possible. One teacher, Asiko, wrote to Amistad, “You are wonderful friends to us and what you have done is beyond human words. We appreciate your efforts and concern. God bless you mightily."