Published on: Wednesday, March 2, 2022
King’s College has a strong connection to Kenya, with several boarders joining the school on the Usanii Creative Scholarship. Recently, the Head of Art Mrs Schmidt, visited her counterparts at Kenyan prep schools, before running workshops with children at the charity Restart Africa and presenting money raised by the pupils at King’s.
Restart is the name for the Sanata Charitable Trust, set up in 2008 by Mary Coulson in response to the desperate needs of the street children of Gilgil. Their aim is to provide them with a safe home, education, care and counselling, while uplifting the community by offering job opportunities.
King’s College has been working with Restart since Mrs Schmidt’s first visit in 2019, and pupils started raising money before the pandemic by selling cards and jewellery, culminating with a Christmas craft sale last term. Five boxes of art supplies including paints, drawing materials and paper were sent to Restart in 2020, but due to the pandemic, not opened until Mrs Schmidt's recent visit. Pupils also raised £1,200 which will pay for four primary school aged children to receive a better standard of education by changing school.
Mrs Schmidt also raised money independently to pay for 30 pairs of shoes for the children during lockdown. The charity relies entirely on fundraising and donations, and the pandemic was particularly difficult for them. The pupils at Restart were so excited to have the new art materials, and are now looking forward to painting and drawing in their holidays. Mrs Schmidt is keen for King's to build a longstanding relationship with Restart, and is already starting to plan the next fundraising event.
