Read all about it - hot off the press!

Our December newsletter is hot off the press with news and photos of our fabulous fundraiser held last Friday night, new ventures and hair-raising bravery - read on ... 

Hair-raising fundraising by Sophie Shaw

Sophie Shaw - bald but beautiful! 

We have talked before about how humbling it is to be at the receiving end of a generous and unsolicited donation. On Tuesday 27^th November, FDC committee members, Linda and Charlie, were invited to Hillcrest Secondary School to witness one such kind act at morning assembly. With cameramen, photographers, and supportive family by her side, a somewhat nervous Sophie Shaw took to the stage and thanked everyone who had donated to her Crowdfunding page. She had set a goal, with the understanding that if the goal was met, she would shave her hair off and donate it to a UK cancer charity that makes wigs for cancer patients and then give a cash donation of Ksh 100,000 to Children with Cancer at Kenyatta Hospital and she also pledged Ksh 200,000 to Friends of Dagoretti Children.

Her brother, Callum, had organised for his hairdresser to attend and he swiftly put a gown around her and cut off her pony tail first – to be set aside for the wigs. The whole school cheered, clapped and whistled in loud and moving support for this incredibly brave and selfless girl. Next came the sheers and then the razor! And the cheers, clapping and support continued throughout.

Sophie, we can’t thank you enough. Now bald, but beautiful – inside and out!

Fundraising fun featuring DJ Kuzi and Jay Sax Duet

Please see our poster for all the details of our fundraising party to be held at the Karen Country Club on FRIDAY 30th NOVEMBER at 7.30 pm.

Tickets will sell out fast, so please do book early! The event promises to be a spectacular evening of music, dancing, auction and raffle (thanks to our many generous donors).

Tickets are 5,000 ksh per person, including dinner and a welcome cocktail. There will be a cash bar available, so please remember to bring cash with you on the night!

With our very best wishes

Linda, Charlie, Vanessa, Wendy and all the FDC committee

Contact details: on the poster

‘Tagging you’ this Christmas

Christmas gifts are already starting to fill the shelves! We are thrilled to show you our new Christmas card designs, which this year are accompanied by some fun and festive gift tags. So get down to the shops and fill your bags, to make sure that far flung friends receive your greetings and news, this side of Christmas! Our thanks to Laura Cuthbert for once again devising these seasonal and original designs, some with a Kenyan twist. You can find both cards and tags on sale at: KPS, HPS, Zawadi, Westland Sundries, Utamaduni, Langata Link, Fairseat, The Shop, Shabby Shack, Gorgeous Hair, KCC Pro Shop and periodically at the organic market at Marula Mercantile on a Saturday. Christmas cards will sell in packs of five, and Christmas tags in packs of ten.

If you are in Karen, then you can also give Charlie Taylor a call on: 0733 614796, as she will keep a stock to sell direct.

Our new Christmas card designs:

Our new Christmas tag designs:

Manna from Heaven

We never cease to be amazed by spontaneous acts of kindness. Recently, FDC was the recipient of the most astonishing, varied and extremely generous gift. The delivery came from a group of people from “Xapo” in Switzerland who had been visiting Kenya as part of an offsite company event. They wished to give something to needy people here and had been supplied with an MPESA account through which to purchase these articles. They'd been advised as to what would be most welcome and useful and you would be amazed to see what we, as just one of several recipients, have received. The items were grouped under the following categories: clothing, foodstuffs, household, linen, school equipment and toiletries.

On behalf of the entire student body, the committee and numerous thankful parents  – thank you to all those at "Xapo" in Switzerland! 

Committee members sorting through all the goodies

Read more about us!

Our May 2018 newsletter is out! 

We always welcome your feedback! Enjoy the read.

Notice of AGM – Tuesday 8th May 2018 at 2.30pm

We would like to announce that the Friends of Dagoretti Children AGM will be held on Tuesday 8th May at Mahali Pa Watoto School, Karinde (off Dagoretti Road) at 2.30pm. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

We do hope that those of you in Nairobi will be able to attend. 

RSVP by email to frodach@gmail.com by 1st May and we will send out directions, if required, and the agenda.

This will be an excellent opportunity to meet the committee and to find out more about us and our students! Do join us if you can! 

Take note of our new notelets!

Send a friend a little bit of Kenya by supporting FDC and buying a packet of our newly designed notelets. These are now selling in packs of five cards, at Hardy Provision Stores, Karen Provision Stores, Utamaduni, Langata Link Shops and Karen Country Club.

Again, our huge thanks to Laura Cuthbert for her beautiful beach-themed drawings, below.

One good turn deserves another

This week we had a visit from John Chege, one of a group of young men sponsored by FDC in the early days. As, happily, they are all working, only John was able to get time off work to bring a donation of Ksh 8,000 to FDC - on behalf of all the group. It was wonderful to hear about his life and family and where he is today - working for Britam Insurance, who took over Real Insurance. The others in the group are Aaron Njoroge, Bernaud Wanjau, Daniel Muiruri and Joseph Kamau, all of whom went to Mutuini High School. Given that all of them, apart from John, are now married and some have begun their own families, this really is an extremely generous gesture. 

We have always been hugely proud of these young people and this kind thought and action on their part, gives us even greater reason to smile and continue doing what we do! 
Thank you! 

John Chege hands over the group's donation to Catherine and Pop.

First of February round-up of FDC news 

As ever, our year has started on a busy note. We have taken on seven new Form 1 students who have all now started at school. It is very difficult deciding who to support out of a wonderful and worthy group of candidates who present themselves at our door in late December to early January, hoping to be taken on. We wish this fortunate group all the best as they start out at secondary school. May they continue to work hard and make the most of every opportunity.

Our year ended in equally busy mode, with the Christmas party and prize-giving. Many thanks again to all who attended – committee members, visitors, sponsors, parents and students alike. Our huge thanks must also go to KPS who once again kindly donated food for the party.

Our guest speaker, Anthony Muriithi, was such an inspiration to all our students and had a captivated audience. Despite being disabled by polio at the age of two, he has not let this disability stand in his way. He managed to attend Alliance High School and then Nairobi University. Not only has he found a fulfilling and interesting job at Safaricom, where he is a Team Leader, he has also married, has a baby boy, and has set up and runs his own business together with his lovely wife. With great humour and honesty he mapped out the challenges of his life and the great pleasure he derives from it. His main message was that in order to succeed in life one has to first want success and then be consistently determined and hard working to achieve it. He also spoke about self-esteem and insisted on the benefits  of staying strong and believing in yourself through good and bad. His famous phrase is that “You cannot control what people say and think about you, but you have control on how to react. What is important is, what do you think about yourself?”

He also shared what he referred to as his ‘five power points’ to start each day:

1.      I am the best

2.      I am a winner

3.      God is always with me

4.      I can do it

5.      Today is my day.

Everyone left at the end of the day wiser, inspired and possibly a little humbled by his positive attitude to life.

The party was also the occasion to recognise our prize winners. Below we see Solomon Murithi receiving his prize from Pop Gunson as top Form Three student and next is Jackson Kanyua receiving the prize for top Form Two student:

Solomon receives his prize from Pop Gunson

Jackson receives his prize from Pop Gunson

Proud parents and guests enjoy food provided by KPS

The full list of prize winners is below:

Form 1-3 best academic prizes:

Form 1             Grace Wambui

Form 2             Jackson Kanyua

Form 3             Solomon Murithi

Top in class prize:

John Kibue

Effort and participation prize – Karen PCEA Church luncheon:

Emily Ngina

Chairman’s Prize:

Jane Wanjiku

We wish you all the best for 2018 and hope that you will enjoy following FDC throughout the year. Thanks for your continuing support and generousity.