About

The Loiyangalani Trust was founded by Anthony Mitchel in 2009 following a series of visits to the small Kenyan town of Loiyangalani. Situated on the south-eastern coast of Lake Turkana, the local population receives minimal education support from larger charities operating across Africa. Inspired to make a lasting difference, Anthony established the Trust upon his return to the UK. Since then, the Trust has provided ongoing funding and in-person support, seeing them redevelop and kit-out a local school, whilst also sponsoring individual students. Our Structures Director Andrew Sherlock became involved in the Trust in 2016 and is today one of the trustees. Alongside fundraising activities, Andrew has used his engineering skills to help build a water distribution system and has overseen the technical planning of a new solar water heating system during one of his visits to the town. During regular visits, the Trustees travel to Loiyangalani at their own personal expense to meet the volunteer committee of community leaders associated with the local primary schools and colleges attended by sponsored pupils. Chiefly supporting the Loiyangalani Primary School and its pupils, the Trust supplies crucial funding for essential repair and maintenance work, whilst also providing a much-needed breakfast of boiled maize and supplying sanitary products for each child. Their work helps pay students’ fees, provides uniforms, books and supplies and also ensures students have access to nutritious meals each day. Andrew commented: “I became involved in the Trust in 2016 when I started sponsoring a child through secondary school. I received a personal letter from Brian who had been accepted into a secondary school and was leaving his family to become a boarder as there are no local secondary school’s in Loiyangalani. The ‘thank you’ note for our support led me to consider the impact such a small amount of my resources can have. I got involved in fundraising events and started a Christmas quiz with a raffle on behalf of the trust. My involvement grew, culminating in being asked to become a Trustee.”