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Feedback
from LCPL Sarah Komen in July 2011
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Good morning. I am WO1 Wayne Charley. I am a Warrant Officer in the Army and I am here today with Lance Corporal Sarah Komen. I have been in the Army for over 20 years and in my time I have travelled all over the world. Sarah has been in the Army for nearly 6 years. She is originally from Kenya and we now work together at Innsworth Barracks here in Gloucester. I have recently returned from Kenya, and whilst there I was able to help out with different charity organisations. Does anyone know where Kenya is? Kenya is on the other side of the Equator. It has a different time to England and it is 3 hours in front. Can anyone tell me the time there now? There is no winter or summer. The rainy season is in July / August and it is cold. The dry season is in December / January and it is very, very hot.
Gloucester is here (see arrow) and Kenya is here (see arrow). Does anyone know how far away it is? It is 4263 miles away. It takes 8½ hours to get there by plane. Kenya is most famous for its tourism, particularly safaris. The biggest attraction is the BIG 5 animals: Elephants, Buffalo, Leopard, Giraffe, and Lions. These are seen all over Kenya.
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. It is very much like any other capital city in the world. See the pictures of the city of Nairobi, the Centre Square, Village Market Shopping Centre and Westgate Shopping Centre. When you go to the shopping centres you would think you were at any other shopping centre in England.
The part of Kenya that you do not see is the slums. I visited many of these whilst I was in Kenya to see what could be done to help the people that lived there.
One thing that I found was that there was not much for the children to do. There is no electricity, no running water, no TV and no Playstation, just a tin shack in the mud. But one thing that they did do, and liked very much, was to play football. Because I worked in the British High Commission, I was able to make a lot of contacts. I had a friend in England who could get lots of charity football strips, footballs, scarves and other items and send them out to Kenya using spare military transport. I could collect it at the airport in Kenya and I could then deliver it to schools and various other sporting charities at the slums and they would use them to play football. Here you can see lots of pictures of some of the strips that were delivered.
But what was missing when I delivered these kits was football boots or trainers. Who likes playing football?
This is what I need from you - your old football boots and trainers. The ones that do not fit you any more and you do not use. I will then get them sent out to Kenya and they will be given to children who live in the slums, and trust me, they will be put to good use.
I will leave a box, which will be left at reception. When you go home tonight think about the children in Kenya, who do not have much, and one of the only things that they have to do is play football. Those old football boots or trainers that are under your bed, or in the bottom of your wardrobe; bring them into school, leave them in the box at reception, and we will come back later and get them sent out to Kenya for the children to use.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to us.
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