History
Founded in 1990 in Biedenkopf, the Association of Friends of the the Bindura Children’s Home supports welfare work for Kenyan street children in the course of various projects. Michael Menne, son of the former pastor of Biedenkopf’s Protestant Church, established the connection with the facilities still being supported today. While working in the children’s home of Michael Nieswand in Bindura for one year, he closely experienced the neccesity of helping children and teenagers to get out of the slums of large Kenyan cities like Eldoreth.
After its foundation the friends’ association soon met with firm support by a steadily growing number of contributing members.
Facilities in Kenya
International Children’s Mission
Directed by Michael Nieswand, the children’s home “International Children’s Mission” is located near Nakuru. Nieswand started building up agricultural structures to assure independent supply for “his” children. Besides cattle and sheep he also owns several goats and chicken that produce different food products.
Thanks to contributions of the friends’ association, he was able to repair a tractor which can now be used to make farming more effective.
Mully Children’s Familiy
Charles Mully, chief of the Mully Children’s Family, is a former businessman who used all his belongings to save street children of Eldored and give them hope for leading a normal life.
He has opened a new head office in Yatta this year in order to supervise his projects in Yatta and Ndalani. Several hundreds of children live on both locations, where they have the opportunity to go to school and to achieve a professional education.
The Association of Friends of the the Bindura Children’s Home massively supports the work of Charles Mully. Due to contributions in 2011, he was able to acquire a new minibus for the daily transport of the children to the nearby schools.
Activities in Biedenkopf
Charity Concert „Singen Tanzen Essen für Bindura“ („Sing Dance Eat for Bindura“)
Every November the association invites choires of the region around Biedenkopf to participate the charity concert „Singen Tanzen Essen für Bindura“ which takes place at Biedenkopf’s town church. The concert lasts two hours with free admission, however, at the end visitors are asked to make a donation for the friends’ association. Afterwards, all visitors and the members of the participating choires are invited into the parish hall where members of the friends’ association sell meals and drinks. The returns of this charity concert are used in full for the support of the above mentioned facilities. Furthermore the event is is a good opportunity to inform 500 to 600 people from Biedenkopf and the surrounding area on the work of the association.
Charity Run „Hungerlauf“
For a couple of years, an annual charity run, which is organized by the local Lions Club, has been taking place in Biedenkopf. Participants, may they be athletes or people dedicated to the event’s cause, run as many rounds as the can along a defined course. Beforehand, every participant agrees with a sponsor on the amount of a charitable donation made per kilometer covered. The total of all contributions is used to support humanitarian projects. In 2012, the the Association of Friends of the the Bindura Children’s Home was once again among the recipients.
Managing Board
The managing board consists of three elected members as there are chairman Mr. Karl F. Brunner, vice-chairman Mr. Werner Damm and treasurer Mrs. Elisabeth Brunner. The managing board is responsible for the operational business. On state occations, e.g. the arrangment and organisation of major events, the managing board is supported by dedicated members of the friends’ association.