Recently you supported our summer volunteer project in Londiani, Kenya. Unfortunately, we have had to cancel the volunteer project due to local instability and heightened security risks ahead of a referendum on the constitution scheduled for 4th August 2010. The Directors of Friends of Londiani Ireland would like to express their deep regret over this disappointing situation. Friends of Londiani has been organising volunteer projects in Kenya since 2002 and has an exemplary safety record. Whilst it is regrettable to cancel this project, the safety of volunteers and staff is of paramount importance to Friends of Londiani. The communities in Londiani have expressed their sorrow at the cancellation of the project but feel it was the right decision given the local tensions about the referendum. Some community members are planning to temporarily move away to safer areas if unrest develops. They send their greetings to all the volunteers, their families and supporters and hope that this will not deter people from visiting Kenya in the future. The communities we work with always convey to us their deep appreciation for people’s donations and we offer our sincere thanks, on behalf of the communities in Kenya, for all your fundraising donations. All money fundraised for the projects in Harambee will go towards the ongoing projects to assist the people for whom it was intended. These projects may take longer than originally planned but will be completed in due course and include:

• 16 Rainwater tanks. Each tank provides for 30-40 people and results in reduced water-borne diseases and women and girls having less distance to travel to collect water.
• Improved water and toilet facilities in 8 schools
• Training courses on Lifeskills and Healthy Schools Programmes
• Public Health Information Days for approx. 2000 people

Volunteers have been refunded part of their personal costs. So far five of the summer volunteers have been able to transfer to our Autumn volunteer project and another seven volunteers have transferred to next summers project. It is unfortunate not everyone can do so due to work and other commitments but we do hope they will volunteer again at some stage in the future. We encourage you to stay in touch with Friends of Londiani through our newsletter mailings, online networks and our website where the latest information is always available. This has been a very difficult time for everyone concerned and we hope that this information has helped explain the actions we have had to take. Our thoughts are with the communities in Kenya whom we will continue to work with and we hope that the referendum will pass without any further disruption or violence. As the communities in Kenya would say, asante sana (thank you in Swahili).