Building Hope, Learning Together
campaign for a new school Building
Challenging Context
Reasons for Celebration
The hardships faced by the fishing communities of Rusinga Island were explained by the founding volunteers of the CAITHS organization:
“Our people are dying. Poverty is everywhere, and HIV has left us with many widows and orphans. When a mother cannot feed her children, she will exchange her body for scraps of food. And so, HIV spreads further, and families are being headed by children. But how can THEY feed their little siblings? Even younger girls exchange their bodies for food. Girls of 14 and 15 are having babies, and so disease touches even the smallest children. Each year we become more desperate and are losing the joy of life; we are losing hope.”
KMMA not only educates these children, but provides food, medical care, and a stable environment for their growth and development.
It is a hub for local volunteers and dedicated school or clinic personnel who wish to make a difference — and are already doing so even in inadequate facilities. The steady success of the early years of KMMA-CAITHS will flourish with new, permanent facilities. Children and their community members will continue to thrive and see hope for the future.
Since its inception in 2016, the Kathy and Mike McNulty Academy has experienced unprecedented growth, more than tripling in size to meet the education needs of orphaned and vulnerable children on Rusinga Island, Kenya. The opening on site of the St. Patrick Medical Clinic in 2018 further improved the well-being of the students, and offers rural medical care services for the entire community. After completing phase I, the new Kathy and Mike McNulty Academy has opened its school doors to students; yet, the need continues. The clinic has also outgrown the small rented building, which was never intended to serve in this capacity. Additionally, the school still needs a security office, borehole water system, latrines, water tank, solar panel system, wi-fi and internet connectivity, and a computer system. Friends of KMMA-CAITHS is leading the charge to furnish our new school not only to educate students but also to support community health and sanitation while keeping in mind local conditions for solar power, water, sewer, and ongoing upkeep. The new, nearby site will be a place to invest, grow, learn, and heal.
Phase II Goals-$185,000
Friends of KMMA-CAITHS, in collaboration with our Kenyan partners, seeks to:
Equip and furnish the permanent home for the Kathy and Mike McNulty Academy.
Build the new St. Patrick Clinic, on the same property, including a waiting room, examining room, consulting room, sick bay, office, and pharmacy.
Purchase adjacent property for athletics and outdoor education.
Build additional infrastructure including a security office, borehole water system, latrines, water tank, solar panel system, wi-fi and internet connectivity, computer system.
Building progress of the new home of the Kathy & Mike McNulty Academy
Designate your gift for the Building Campaign by clicking “Please apply my gift toward:” and typing “Building Campaign”
In January 2024 we celebrated the grand opening of the new Kathy and Mike McNulty Academy! While the school is up and running, Phase II of our building campaign Building Hope, Learning Together is still underway. Read our latest newsletter for a reflection on the school opening and the needs and goals of Phase II.