- Kensington Scholar Transport (Kenstra) held a community outreach in Factreton on 22 February, feeding vulnerable individuals with a pot of chicken akni prepared by volunteers.
- The organisation, founded seven years ago, focuses on safe scholar transport and supports local initiatives such as an annual sanitary drive, with donations collected for schools in the area.
- Kenstra is fundraising to build shelter structures at schools, starting with Kenmere Primary, and is seeking support for materials and donations.
As the curtain comes down on the month of love, the Kensington Scholar Transport (Kenstra) held a community outreach to feed vulnerable people in Factreton on Saturday 22 February.
The organisation was started seven years ago by a group of residents to ensure children arrive at school safely.
Mariam Hendricks, chair of Kenstra, said: “Every term we try and do an outreach event in the community. This month of love we made a pot of chicken akni. We all contribute towards the ingredients of the pot and we prepare the ingredients and our very own aunty Abiedah cooks the food.”
Hendricks explained that to them it’s about more than just dropping children at school, explaining that some drivers have been driving for over 20 years.
“We are the first people that the children see after school, sometimes even before their parents. The children become attached to us. Some days you don’t feel up to it, they keep us going.”
She adds that their annual sanitary drive will take place later this year.
“We donate the sanitary products to schools in the area. We collect throughout the year and do the handover in August.”
According to Hendricks, safety is their priority. “Our drivers belong to a safe-travel programme sponsored by Discovery Health and Red Cross Hospital, so we have basic first aid training. We did a defensive driving course, our vehicles are fitted with trackers that monitor our driving behaviour.”
Hendricks explained that they are always in need of funds to finance their projects.
“One of our goals this year is to set up a shelter structure for our kids to wait on the rainy days. We would like to do it at all the schools we service, but will start with Kenmere Primary. We will need support to fundraise for this project, so if anybody is able to assist with materials and or cash, it would be highly appreciated.”
For details or to donate sanitary towels, contact Anne Arends at 072 623 0361.
