Salem Orphanage – Kenya
2001 – 2006
Salem Orphanage is based in Kisumu which is a one hour flight North West of Nairobi (the capital of Kenya). Kisumu has a population of approximately 200,000 and is located on Lake Victoria almost on the Ugandan border.
The orphanage was originally funded primarily by American funding agencies. Due to circumstances beyond the control of the manager and children in the orphanage these agencies decided to withdraw their funds.
In 2003, Henley chose to take over the funding responsibilities of the orphanage from the American funding agencies, to save the orphanage from its impending closure which would have resulted in over 100 children living back on the streets fending for themselves.
The orphanage was home to many children aged between new born and eighteen years of age. All of these children were accepted into the orphanage due to the death of their parents (usually to AIDS) or simply by being dumped on the streets of Kisumu by their parents. Recent reports have estimated more than 11 million African children have lost at least one parent to AIDS, and that number is likely to rise to 20 million by the end of decade, hence the need for continued support.
Henley agreed to fund the orphanage in several ways:
• to meet the on-going day to day running costs
• finance one off items such as a cars, refrigeration, medical equipment and arrears of salaries
• provide funding for the older children to continue education onto university and college; and
• purchase land and build a new orphanage to house up to 150 children.
Many visits were made to the orphanage, and the manager of the orphanage also made a trip to Australia in an attempt to set up a long standing relationship with the orphanage and to secure the future of the children who would attend the orphanage.
Unfortunately due to circumstances out of our control Henley had to discontinue its relationship with the orphanage in 2006. It was found that corruption had filtered through the orphanage from the highest level and Henley was found to be in a position where they could no longer support the orphanage. However Henley did not discontinue its support for children around the world, since 2006 Henley have only expanded their programs to not only include Africa, but India, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Indeed a Good Friday for The Royal Children's Hospital with Villawood Properties and Henley Homes raising a whopping $635,000 for their Good Friday Charity Home Auction today.
Fierce bidding saw a flurry of hands raised in order to secure the Charity Auction Home at the Alamanda estate all as part of the Good Friday Appeal 2010.
A long standing fundraising project for the Good Friday Appeal, with the fantastic result bringing the grand total of funds raised over the past 17 years, to $9,574,840.75 – all of which goes to The Royal Children's Hospital.
The house, a part of our brand new Kube luxury collection of homes, included numerous luxury inclusions and attracted some keen bidding on the day. This year saw Henley building and auctioning its 25th Home and Land package for the Good Friday Appeal. The Directors of Henley have now been supporting the Appeal for 17 years, a truly amazing feat and something the company is proud to be apart of.
Once again many thanks are in order here... firstly to all of the trades who donate much of their time, many of these guys are small business owners who really are giving up their wages to assist the cause and its these guys who are the real heroes. A big thanks to our many suppliers who have donated, as you can see, some big ticket items this year making the house a true stand out from many on the market today. To Villawood who have donated the block, to the Henley Construction, Design and production team who really worked wonders to have this house completed. Stay tuned for next year.
www.goodfridayappeal.com.au