ABOUT THE VALLEY
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The United Nations describes Mathare as the most brutal slum in Africa.  It is the oldest slum in Nairobi. Over 500,000 people live in about 2 square miles in mud, corrugated tin, and block houses. An average house of 10’x10’ holds 10 people. Most homes have no electricity, water or sewage facilities.  Even to walk in the valley is a chance of contacting some disease. Many people use plastic bags for toilets. These bags are thrown throughout the valley and in the small river that runs through the valley. People use the water from the river for drinking and bathing.  You can imagine the possibilities of disease from such contamination!   

AIDS is very prevalent in the valley. Thousands of children are left without parents yearly. Malaria, typhoid, typhus, cholera, and malnutrition claim the lives of many of the children before the age of 5. 

Besides disease, people of the valley struggle daily with violence.  Gangs rule areas and demand payment for protection. Young girls are constantly in fear of rape and abuse.  Boys are often tempted to steal or join gangs for protection.  In the past, gangs have killed hundreds of people and burnt homes and property.

Survival is the top priority of the valley.  Young children walk the streets and garbage dumps looking for food.  Parents despairingly try to work or peddle their wares.  They are often forced to leave their children on the streets alone or with an older sibling.  The average income is $1.00 per day.    

This environment makes it difficult for children to receive an education or health care.  Only the strongest survive!

Mercy Care Centre is a Christian school located in Mathare.  Rev. Gilbert Amino and his wife Dorna became burdened by the poverty of the area when they visited some of their church families.  They prayed that God would show them a way to minister to the people.  In 1995, they started sharing powered soup with the people.  Dorna, a schoolteacher, recognized the need of education and expanded the soup ministry to include a small school of 9 children.  After her death, Patrick Lumumba, her son-in-law and former teacher at the International School in Nairobi, took over as headmaster in 1997.  Through his excellent leadership, the school has expanded to include over 700 students in primary school, secondary school, and vocational training.

The school provides a mid-day meal, a quality education, and spiritual encouragement and offers hope in this dismal environment.  Teachers work hard to make each child feel their self-worth.  Patrick Lumumba constantly tells the students they are “second to none”.  They have proven him correct in their national placements in music, drama, academics, and sports!

The school is full of happy children, loving teachers, and daily encouragement for each child!  This is their hope to face their future.

The Mercy Care Centre is supported by the generous donations of several groups around the world.  The Mercy Care Centre Foundation was formed by friends in America of various denominations and vocational skills to help provide a tax deductible organization to give moral and financial support to the school.  The school provides a quarterly report of their progress and maintains a blogsite for current happenings at the school.  Mercy Care Centre Foundation shares these reports through newsletters throughout the year.  Many donors have traveled to MCC and shared in the daily tasks of the school.  The foundation provides some of the operating funds, capital funds for buildings, revenue for a medical clinic, and assistance in child and teacher sponsorships.  Often they provide money for parties, competition, and teacher retreats.

The foundation is managed by a volunteer board of directors who meet monthly to plan ways of assisting the school.  Expenses of the foundation are very minimal so that most all of the money given to the foundation goes directly to the school.