Letter from Turkana: Boat Blessing at Lokitonyala

Turkana fishing boat

Lillian Omari from the Missionary Community of St Paul the Apostles in northwest Kenya writes: It was a beautiful morning when the community at Lokitonyala, Prince Ludwig von Bayern of the Nymphenburg Hilfsverein Foundation, members of the MCSPA, Fr Andrew the Parish Priest of Todonyang Mission and local leaders (MCAs) of Lake Zone, met at the shore of Lake Turkana at the village of Lokitonyala to bless 10 newly-built fishing boats.

The Mission of Todonyang runs the boat project that is partly supported by the Nymphenburg Hilfsverein Foundation. The 10 boats that were blessed today made the total number of boats distributed to villages along the north-western shore of the lake amount to 70 new boats this year.

A boat is given to 10 families who take full management of it, after paying a highly subsidized amount of KES 35,000 and signing an agreement for use.

Thus, as from today, 100 families will have continuous income generated from the boats. They are thus able to send their children to school, have food on their table everyday and improve their living conditions. They will no longer depend on food handouts but will be able to produce and feed their families. In conjunction with the Ludwig Foundation, we intend to extend it to support more families in the lake community.

Today the proverb, "You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day; you teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime", was seen in action.

Thank you all who have supported this programme and continue supporting it.

Prince Ludwig also encouraged the people that they should not just sit down and wait for the neighbour to build their house. Instead we should help build the house by taking on the heavier part. In it is with this principle in mind, that we hope this project may go ahead.

If you would like to support the work of the MCSPA see: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/newways

The work of the Missionary Community is supported by New Ways, a UK-based charity run entirely by volunteers. If you would like to make a donation to one of their projects, please visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/feedchildrenofturkana