ABOUT US
Wamba, Samburu District, Northern Kenya
Situated in the vast semidesert area in the South of Lake Turkana. No real roads lead to Wamba, only paths traced into the savannah.
The whole area suffers of drought and water can only be found in the three existing 100 meters wells.
Put this way it may not seem like the most appealing place to visit, but trust us, it is a special place.
Under the watchful gaze of Mount Kenya, so wonderful and terrifying, so peaceful and strong, Wamba is a land of Power.
There was a reason for our brother Seba to climb Mount Kenya, he had to experience the magical views of this powerful land from the highest peak, he was sent to witness something majestic from up there. But that wasn't it. God's reason was infinitely greater, and on his way down, God chose to take him up, as high as the sky, as high as the angels, to become our angel, to guard us from there, to keep us safe, to witness every moment of our lives from a greater mountain.
Since September 17th 2004, Seba has never left Kenya, nor he has left our hearts as we keep him close, as he keeps us close. He led us to Wamba to allow us to witness something special, as special as he.
When our father Puti came back from Kenya heavy-hearted and devastated, we received a letter from Mrs Alison Curtis, Seba's school teacher from The International School of Lausanne, whom wrote she was in Kenya for her community project when the accident happened and she wanted to meet us. So we did. Together with this incredibly strong lady we met Dr. Silvio Prandoni, whom had built the most important hospital in the Samburu District, the Wamba Catholic Hospital (WCH).
To keep Seba's memory alive we started supporting both Alison's projects which included the Solar Health Educational Project (S.H.E.P.) with the Samburu people in the village of Wamba and the "Fair Start" programme of educational activities for the 56 beds Children's Ward in the Wamba Hospital at the request of the Dr Prandoni in charge.
After a few years of supporting S.H.E.P., the "Fair Start" programme and after renovating the WCH Intensive Care Unit in Seba's memory we decided it was time to help Wamba's most vulnerable people: the children.
In 2009 we built a first school "Seba's Corner", in reality a start up stick and mud shelter, on the grounds of PCA Church which offered educational activities and teaching, a daily meal and health and nutrition supervision to 120 vulnerable children/orphans.
Puti's wish for remembering Seba in Wamba was so strong and determined that we decided to start again and find a new plot to build a new school.
On May 26th 2012, after fighting illness like a superhero for years, our dad joined Seba at the top of the Mountain of God, becoming our Guardian Angel, finding peace and light, sending his unlimited love to us in every moment, staying with each and everyone of us in every step of life.
The Calleri Early Child Development Centre (ECDC) was opened at its present location in 2013 after receiving the present plot from the Samburu County Council. This was made possible thanks to the continuous support we have received from our friends and family.
The Calleri ECDC is formed of two plus permanent classrooms welcoming 185 students divided between Pre-primary 1 and 2 for kids aged 4 to 6 years old, a kitchen shed and a watchman shelter.
The school being a community centre for the most vulnerable, we welcome the mentally and physically challenged children from the Huruma Home to be surrounded by other children their age and spend the day in a fun and happy environment.
These below-poverty-level-children are being educated, fed, and leave to enter the government school at 6-7 years old with a "send off diploma" of a school uniform for their new school!
A special THANK YOU goes to all the work
Alison Curtis has achieved for Wamba since 1985 when she received a Ford Foundation Grant to set up a "Fair Start" programme of educational activities in the Wamba Hospital. Subsequently she was asked to continue the "Fair Start" programme for the children of Wamba which she continues to run with us in Seba's and Puti's memory.
Without the inexhaustible efforts of this inspiring human being none of us would ever have achieved anything in Wamba.
A voluntary, a fighter, a source of inspiration for us and of hope for the people in Wamba.
CIO’ CHE IMPORTA E’ CREDERE IN DIO, CREDERE ALLA BONTA’, ALL’ONESTA’, CREDERE NEGLI IDEALI E
VIVERE PER REALIZZARLI.
SI PUO’ ANCORA CREDERE AL VALORE DELLA VITA, CREDERE CHE TUTTO NON
E’ CAOS, CATTIVERIA E SFIDUCIA.
E’ QUESTA SICUREZZA CHE MI SOSTIENE
E MI DA SERENITA’.
- DR S. PRANDONI, 27 settembre 1974
THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO BELIEVE IN GOD, TO BELIEVE IN PEOPLE'S GOODNESS, IN HONESTY, IN GOALS AND LIVE LIFE STRIVING TO ACHIEVING THEM.
WE MAY STILL BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF LIFE, THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS CAOS, WICKEDNESS AND DESPAIR.
IT IS THIS CERTAINTY THAT SUPPORTS ME AND GIVES ME SERENITY.
- DR S. PRANDONI, September 27th, 1974
Associazione ONLUS Seba x Wamba
VAT: 90094140580