At St. James Minor Seminary in Lodwar, Kenya, the school term began on September 26. By November 25, students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will begin their December vacation, lasting for a month. The grade 12 students will stay on until the eve of Christmas finishing up their secondary school national exams.
Currently, St. James Minor Seminary students have a lot going on. With a drought, food insecurity and high cost of living, these students are braving many challenges to get an education. Drought is hitting Turkana County hard. Livestock, which is the source of livelihood, is dying and government agencies are slow to respond as the country is still emerging from and waiting for a political situation to normalize. Soon, the deaths of both animals and people from hunger will be headlines in both local and international media. The dire situation has a direct impact on most of the students’ families, so they are psychologically affected.
Recently, through a foundation in the U.S. called O’Toole Foundation, the construction of a library was completed. The major task is now looking for furniture, books, and other details to make the library meaningful to the learners. The school community appeals to those who wish to donate furniture and books to do so through the Xaverian Brothers or locally in the region.
See photos and captions below:
What great work is going on in Kenya. God bless our Brothers, their students and the students families in this trying time.