Mother Teresa once said that, 'We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love’…
These words may seem to be just another piece of those philosophical compositions but not until you hear Signe’s story…
She is a Swedish girl who; together with her parents have visited Watamu’s Turtle Bay Hotel a few times where they got to learn about our work at A Rocha Kenya.
She vowed to start baking cakes for sale all so that she could help more children to go school through the ASSETS project. It has been over one year now and she has stayed strong!!
Her case got me thinking of how much love this young girl has in her heart that she keeps tiring herself to help kids she barely knows to go to school!!
She is definitely not employed neither does she have an income but she uses the little skills she has to help where she can. It inspired me from that day that I do not need millions to make an everlasting change in someone's life.
After reading her letter, I could not help but write back to her so she knows how amazing her contribution towards the ASSETS project is...
"My name is Signe wiklund I'm 14 years old and I have two brothers Axel 15 and Einar 12 years old. My mom is Kikki and my dad is Daniel. We live in kungsbacka Sweden!
We have visited Kenya, Watamu, twice and the last time my mum and dad helped to clean the beach and met a lady who talked to them about A Rocha. When my parents came back to the hotel after visiting A Rocha center they told me about it and I liked that you help family's to farm, children to school and the whole environment! So when someone came from A Rocha to our hotel Turtle bay beach club that evening I decided that when I get back home to Sweden I wanted to do something to help! So because I love to bake, that is what I do, I will bake and then sell the cakes at my school cafe and the money I get I give to A Rocha! I love to do something to help and I also love to bake! So that’s great! Thank you A Rocha for helping me to help!
/ Signe Wiklund"
Signe and her family...
"Hallo Signe
Greetings from the warm beaches of Watamu…
My name is Daniel Kheri and I live in Watamu close to Turtle bay hotel where you stayed during your holiday.
A Rocha Kenya helped me pay my secondary school fees through the help of good people like you who raise money and donate to them.
A Rocha Kenya helps children that live close to Arabuko sokoke forest and Mida creek to pay secondary school fees.
This helps their parents to stop destroying the forest and creek to raise money for school fees.
These two places are home to thousands of beautiful birds and young turtles and if people continue destroying them, then the birds and the turtles will not have a place to call home anymore.
More than 500 students have benefitted so far and they are helping A Rocha Kenya to conserve these two habitats. A good number of them have been lucky enough to join University and get good jobs after they graduate so that they won’t have to depend on the forest and creek anymore for their livelihood.
Through the help of A Rocha Kenya I completed my secondary school and am now lucky to be in university; currently am on my school holidays helping A Rocha to raise more money so that other children can also go to school.
I would like to thank you on behalf of all the other students for your kindness and baking cakes to raise money for our school fees.
I can now use a computer and do many other cool things; I have also learnt to care for the environment, all this because I go to school!! There are other really cool kids out there who still need our help so that they can also go to school!
You are a great person and God will bless you for what you are doing!
Pass my regards to your brothers Axel and Einar.
Thank your parents for me too for allowing you to help us"