I am travelling in sub-saharan Africa for more than 30 years, for business or private reasons, and still I am overwhelmed by all the impressions I get. Especially when driving along or even through the slums, which unfortunately are part of every larger African town, my eyes, ears and nose regularly get overused – by this picture puzzle full of life, often far off central European customs and standards.

Alone, if you let yourself in at a look out of the car window, you experience a roller coaster ride of feelings, and you can´t stop being amazed of what you see. Even if many of these pictures hurt, there are always happy and smiling faces, especially with the children, who give hope, warmth and humanity to this strange place.

For me children are the sense of life, not only the own, but all children. The children are the future, and to enable a future for the next human and animal generations I see it as our job to take care of a livable future. This is more important today than ever before, since we have reached the ecological limits of a sprawling growth society.

When I had the chance to visit the school in Kibera for the first time almost 10 years ago, I was immediately enthusiastic about the idea to contribute something. The school was much smaller at the time and consisted of a few very low and simple huts made of wood and corrugated iron roofs, that were very dark and stuffy because there were only 1-2 tiny windows and a single weak lightbulb on the ceiling. The sanitary conditions were very poor, and in the rainy season one literally sank in the mud around the huts. But the classes were overcrowded with happily laughing and singing children, who could be seen to be happy and happy to have found an island in this school in the middle of the big slum, where you could be a child and learn for the future.

The children are the focus of this wonderful project, which has been in existence for 10 years and is growing continuously. School fees including daily hot meals reliably reach those who need it most, and additional donations allow the school to continue to grow and improve conditions.

The pastors Eliezer and Ayub, who have been running the school for years, are doing great and tireless work in the often difficult environment of Kenyan state bureaucracy. They have just as much a share in the success of the project as all the sponsors, most of whom have been supporting the project financially for years or even working actively and free of charge.

The anniversary is a reason for celebration, joy and pride, and of course an invitation to all interested parties to take part in the project. There will still be a lot to do in the next 10 years…..