Bureau of International Solidarity (BIS)

The BIS office, in the framework of its micro-projects funding programme, helped the Missionary Sisters of St. Theresa of Baby Jesus equip the playground and purchase new uniforms for the children of Barsaloi catholic mission kindergarten.

Barsaloi mission is located 50 kilometres West of Maralal, capital city of Samburo District, North Kenya. It accounts about 5,000 inhabitants, belonging for the majority to the Samburu ethnic group. The village is very poor: it lacks of the basic facilities, local economy is based on a sheep-rearing activity, and the population suffers from malnutrition.

The Missionary Sisters of St. Theresa manage in Barsaloi a kindergarten that hosts 40 children; the Sisters committed themselves to develop among the local community more awareness about education, to encourage the families to allow their children to go to school and to oppose to the traditional culture that discriminates girls.

BIS? micro-project?s aim was to help pursuing this objective, improving the kindergarten structure and thus influencing the attitude of the young generations toward the school. According to the Sisters, the kindergarten has now become a pleasant place where the children can play and develop a sense of belonging to their community. The new uniforms also help enhance a sense of dignity and overcome the social differences that exist even among the poorest.