Asian sisters' set-up an educational charity 'Raha International'
28 January 2010

Asian sisters Daksha and Nimi Hirani have founded Raha International, a charity that provides educational services in Kenya, the adopted country where both women were raised. Nimi Hirani, who supports the charity from her Letchworth home in the UK, said "The whole idea for Raha came about in 2008, when my sister and I decided to directly fund young children who were unable to complete school and university due to personal or family financial difficulties".

Raha's latest education protégé, Jeremiah Kangele is studying Aeronautical Engineering at the Nairobi Aviation School and has just completed his internship with Kenya Airways. Raha sponsors have been paying for his fees and enabled him to move out of his slum dwellings to a safer environment more conducive to study. The cost - a mere £250 a year for the secondary school years! "Sponsors are amazed that it costs just £250 to put someone through boarding school in Kenya: this includes books, boarding, meals and uniform and offers such great return on investment" adds Nimi Hirani, "Donors often wonder if I've left a zero off the end of that figure!"

"We get in touch with various community groups who help us identify children who need support. We help as many as we can to get their Form 4 leavers certificate as this improves their chance of employment. Sadly we encounter more than we can help. Of those who do well, we try and help to go to University. This is expensive business, we currently only have two at University, as more finish school though, we will need lots more funding."

Education Projects among HIV-positive children

"Although Primary School Education in Kenya is free, many do not go as they need a uniform or are needed to work to feed the family. Raha buys uniforms to enable this. The country's ARV (anti-retroviral) programs - many of the children are HIV positive- are also free, but what is lacking is help to attend secondary school and the nutrition to enable compliance to medication. We find the best way to counteract this is to arrange for boarding schools. This ensures the children are fed, have adequate shelter and a conducive environment to study in. It costs a mere £250 per year to enable this."

"University is another matter. Francis's fees for studying Electrical Engineering (a 5 year degree course) will cost £9000 for the entire 5 years. We had to decide whether to leave the students with Form 4 (Secondary School) certificates or carry them forward. We decided that to carry them though University would be most beneficial in the long run as the jobs they would otherwise have would still leave their families in jobs of servitude rather than those that enable more power, pride and opportunity. Also, their salaries will ensure that all other children in their families get through school without external help."

The primary aim of Raha is to help children, young people and adults to become more self-sufficient through education, health, community livelihood projects and other initiatives. Current education projects include building classrooms and playgrounds in schools and supplying them with stationary and books: Raha also provides fresh food to schools and runs breakfast programs to increase attendance so that children who arrive to school are fed before start of classes.

Wheelchairs for Kenya's disabled children

The charity is also working with the Kenya Paraplegic Association to provide wheelchairs for disabled Kenyan children who might have to otherwise rely on shuffling on their bottoms or being carried by relatives. Other disabled Kenyans presently use wheelbarrows or a garden chair rigged up to bicycle or wheels for use as a makeshift wheelchair! Although wheelchairs are expensive in Kenya, the Hirani sisters have used their contacts within the NHS and private healthcare sector to collect old, unwanted wheelchairs; have them re-furbished and flown out to Kenya.

Both women credit their practical approach to their fiercely 'socialist' parents of the traditional Indian sort! "We were taught responsibility rather than charity. Charity does not work; we see this again and again. People are often wary of giving to the 'black hole' of charities and wonder where their money is going and, at the moment, far too much of donated funds are eaten away in overheads and admin costs. So we both decided to it for ourselves. Spend our own money funding the projects that we thought were achievable. To date, the girls and Raha supporters have contributed over £25,000 plus their time and resources."

Daksha lives in Kenya and oversees Raha projects locally. Raha started with the two sisters, quickly enveloped other family members and now has a volunteer network of over 30 committed people. "We wanted to focus on the hope and aspirations of people who live with the backdrop of poverty. Provide the basics and the rest they can work for themselves. A celebration of pride, courage and skill we encounter. It is a great source of pride that partners are now coming to us with projects that they would like to undertake in Kenya with a little help from Raha."

Charity 'Eye Camp' to see 1000 kids in Mwingi, Kenya

The charity's next project in February 2010 is an eye camp in the rural area of Mwingi, Kenya, run by British Asian optometrist Premal Patel who owns a number of 'Specsavers' outlets in South London. The aim is to test the eyes of 1000 patients in less than a week. Those requiring further treatment or surgery will be taken to Kikuyu hospital and followed up with their outreach program. Premal Patel, his colleague Shelley Patel and staff at Specsavers in Beckenham and Penge have been raising funds to pay for surgery that may be needed. Collectively they have already raised £5000 for Mwingi eye camp.

"Asians are particularly keen to see the outcome of their giving for themselves and because 'sewa' (selfless good works) is fundamental to Hindu philosophy, many are keen to work with us on Raha Projects", adds Nimi, "Personally, we have been most fortunate to rise from relative poverty, from one meal days to comfortable lives and homes, given to us by a focus on education and the good fortune of parents!"

"So many children who go through school with the help of Raha supporters grow up without parents, so Daksha and I wanted to create the opportunity we had and success we enjoy for others….which is why we set up Raha. Raha in Swahili means 'to be happy (joy)' and the word also loosely translates as 'the path' in Hindi". The sisters are clearly on the right path to create happiness among the most deprived in Kenya.

About Daksha Hirani

Raised in Kenya, Daksha Hirani studied at State House before moving to the UK to study at Reading University and thereafter did a Clinical Psychology course at Royal Holloway in London. She worked for many years in the NHS and now lectures at the Kenyatta/Nairobi University and has a practice in the Karen district, Nairobi. Daksha is married to Ramesh and has two children.

About Nimi Hirani

Nimi Hirani was also raised in Kenya where she studied at Kenya High before moving to the United Kingdom. She undertook an Open University course and thereafter studied Social Medicine at Imperial College, London. Nimi now works on a part time or contractual basis in social medicine for the NHS and the Voluntary Sector and runs a small business. She has two children.

For images & video about Raha projects visit www.youtube.com/rahainternational

To find out more visit www.rahainternational.com