A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated towards repairing the borehole. Your generosity means so much and you are helping to bring hope to a community facing desperate circumstances.
We haven’t quite raised enough yet to complete the repairs to the borehole but the work is starting imminently.
These are the words of Joseph Letoluo at Lempintira, who some of you may know:
Hello Everyone,
All of you are aware of the prolonged drought here in Kenya and Lempintira community, we already had Lempintira School closed because of shortage of water for the Kids and teachers at School, the community garden has dried off and even animals are dying of thirst. WATER IS LIFE, if there is no water, life is compromised. We ask for your assistance to bring life back. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Joseph
If you have not yet donated, please, please consider doing so now. No contribution is too small. Every pound brings us closer to getting the water flowing again. We cannot end the drought, but together we can help provide a lifeline.
Account name: Development Direct
Sort code: 60-09-47
Account No: 24922374
Thank you again for giving, for caring and for sharing this appeal.
WATER MEANS LIFE — PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR COMMUNITY IN LEMPINTIRA
Our friends are facing catastrophe. The borehole has failed, there is drought the crops have failed and the cattle are dying. They urgently need our help.
Severe drought is threatening the lives and livelihoods of families in Lempintira. Their cattle are dying for lack of water, and so are the crops. Without urgent action, the consequences will be devastating.
But there is hope.
By repairing the community’s borehole, we can help restore access to the water they desperately need. Water means survival for their families, their livestock and their future. We cannot make it rain, but we can help bring water back to this community.
Please donate whatever you can. We need to raise £7000 urgently. Every contribution, however small, will help towards the cost of repairs and bring this community one step closer to having water again.
Please share this appeal with friends, family and colleagues. Together, we can make a difference when it matters most.
No water means no future. Let’s help turn the taps of hope back on.
Please give today. Help bring water. Help save lives.
Account name: Development Direct
Sort code: 60-09-47
Account No: 24922374
Thank you all very much in anticipation of your support.
Once again, very many thanks to all those who have supported Development Direct over the last months, whether it’s been in regular giving, one-off donations or selling books etc to raise funds. We are especially grateful to the Lady Leach fund for their generous grant.
Our most recent fundraising has been through collecting coins and notes (UK and foreign) that are of no use to the owners as they cannot be exchanged by the banks. Often coins from holidays are put in a drawer collecting dust, just in case they can be used for future travels. We have found someone who can trade these in and so far, we have raised approximately £700. Our thanks go to all those who have already donated.
If you would like to find out more, please contact us via email: [email protected]
Every penny raised will go towards the sponsorship of vulnerable pupils, 20 at present, who have to pay for their secondary education. A further 15 students are receiving sponsorship through college or university.
School Links
It has been a busy time in schools in both the UK and Kenya. Pupils have exchanged letters to rekindle school links. A recent visitor to Kenya, Hennie Marais, was able to carry letters from Regent Farm First School to Nairobi. Our thanks to Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi for forwarding on to Mercy Education Support Centre. The pupils were delighted to read all about their link school.
Unfortunately we seem to have lost our news updates since Christmas. Rest assured a high level enquiry is underway and normal service will be resumed once I remove the thumb screws from the bloke who looks after the site (don’t panic – thats me and I’ll settle for some stern words with myself).
A very Happy Christmas from Development Direct to our wonderful supporters and a huge thank you for all of your help throughout the year. It might sound obvious, but without your time and generosity very little could be achieved, you really do make a difference.
Once again, very many thanks to all those who have supported Development Direct over the last months, whether it’s been in regular giving, one-off donations or selling books etc to raise funds. Every penny raised goes to the projects that have been set up.
The following is a brief summary of developments since the last newsletter.
School Links
Wildebeest Eco Camp receptionist handing over letters from Mercy Support CentreRegent Farm First school pupils enjoying reading the letters from Mercy Support Centre
Schools in Kenya broke up for their long holiday on 24th October. Eligible pupils stay on to take their end of year exams. Schools will re-open in early January which will be the start of a new academic year.
Sponsorship of Secondary and Tertiary Students
Regular donations and the sale of books enables us to continue our support of students through their education. It’s very pleasing when we hear of students that Development Direct sponsored through secondary school and into further education who have now graduated from college or university. For many young people, their education would have been limited without the support of our regular donors. Our congratulations to Dickson who graduated from Pwani University this month with a Bachelor Degree in Geography. We know that there are still far too many young people unable to access secondary education and beyond as a result of poverty. Any help you are able to give can transform their lives so please help if you can.
Lempintira – The School
The nursery school continues to provide a sound education for Pre Primary 1 (PP1) and Pre Primary 2 (PP2) pupils. The teacher accommodation has been instrumental in retaining the good teachers. The community are now in the process of raising funds to extend the school to Class 1 which will mean young pupils wouldn’t have to walk the long distance to the nearest primary school. This is evidence that the community are seeing the importance of the school and wish to further its development without asking for support from Development Direct. Further evidence of their involvement is the introduction of a school uniform which helps pupils identify with their school.
Recent visitors were permitted to engage in a ‘football kick-about’ with pupils during their Break Time, under the watchful eye of the staff. Everyone was impressed with the skills of such young pupils when some impromptu games skills developed.
One problem encountered at the school was the bees’ nest that appeared over a weekend in the Resources cupboard in PP1. This necessitated closing that classroom until the nest was relocated well away from the school – not an issue often encountered in schools in the UK!
Lempintira – The Camp
Recent visitors have reported back that they were delighted to find the camp in good order. The staff have maintained everything so that toilets flushed and showers were hot. As visitors have increased, the full financial support from Development Direct has lessened. It was always the intention that the Lempintira CBO would be a sustainable community enterprise, independent of Development Direct.
Future plans include:
Replacing the original water tank at the borehole as it is showing signs of wear
Removing the old tank carefully so it can be used for water harvesting at the nursery school once guttering has been installed there
Tiling the kitchen floor, ensuring it is perfectly level, and purchasing and installing stainless steel wok surfaces in the kitchen
Purchasing and installing storage cupboards in the kitchen
Lempintira – The Garden
The garden is located in the fenced area around the borehole. Most of the vegetables have been harvested and the final harvesting of the maize crop has been carried out. The garden is critical for food security for the local community. They are encouraged to take what they need for their family.
The banana plants were a gift from William Luka who runs the local hospital. They are planted close to the standpipe as they require a lot of water.
The ground will now be prepared for planting of the next crops.
This is truly an organic garden – no chemicals have ever been used on the ground or on the plants for pest control.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the aspects of the work of Development Direct and thank you once again for your support.
Please feel free to forward this to anyone who may be interested in the work of Development Direct. Should they wish to support financially, the bank details are:
Development Direct
Ac No: 24922374
Sort code: 60-09-47
The Development Direct AGM will be held on Wednesday 10th December 2025 at 7.00pm at The Badger, Ponteland. We hope to see you there!
Please keep an eye on our website which will be updated more regularly.
It’s great to report that the school we have built in Lempintira (with considerable help from the students of Ponteland High School) and continue to support is going from strength to strength. The children are incredibly enthusiastic and really enjoy the opportunity to meet visitors and learn from them, or just play some games. It is only with the help of Development Direct supporters that this wonderful opportunity exists for the younger children of the village, so a huge thank you.
One of the real joys of staying at Lempintira is really getting to know the people whose home it is, and of experiencing just a little of that life. There is something very special about being able to walk through the bush with the people who really understand it or practicing some of the skills of a Maasai warrior!
A small group recently spent some time in Lempintira, based at the eco lodge, and getting a close up look at what awaits visitors who stay there. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so enjoy a few sentences below! Today it’s camp life and activities. Comeback in a couple of days to see the school we help.
Please donate whatever you can. We need to raise £7000 urgently. Every contribution, however small, will help towards the cost of repairs and bring this community one step closer to having water again.
