This is the final blog of 2011, we have had a fantastic year at the GLO, 2012 will be another challenging year, the new 2010 Constitution of Kenya has brought many changes to the running of the CCI’s. Children are now in our custody for three years in the first instance and only after we have tried to reunite them with their extended family or look for adoptive parents can we reapply to the courts for a further three years committal order. George is our latest member of staff to join the GLO Family as a Social Worker so we can adhere to the new strict guidelines in force now.
The children are all happy and well cared for, thanks to every single person who has donated to our project, we will continue to make sure every penny is wisely spent and 100% of the donation goes direct to the project.

Kenyan Mayo Man Alan

Over the years in Kenya we have met some unbelievable people and Alan Coyne is one of these people, living in Mombasa Old Town for a few years, speaking Swahili fluently, he has an understandign of the culture that we admire. We asked Alan to write a short piece for this blog, Alan volunteered at the GLO from February until November 2011, he had a massive impact to the project, spending many days & nights working with Mercy and Dorothy making sure all avenues are covered and our systems are followed to the letter of the law.
We are a little embarrassed at the praise Alan has showered on Kevin & myself, its very much a team effort, our excellent Fund Raising Committee in the UK & Ireland, our staff at the GLO and every person who helps in any way but hopefully his words will encourage everyone to “keep the faith” and keep supporting and believing in the GLO as their chosen charity,

Alan our Kenyan from Mayo

“I have been volunteering in Mombasa now in six different charities for 3.5 years and my 9 months with GLO was by far the best I’ve had. From my experience, there is so much corruption, misappropriation of funds, poor management and lack of genuine interest/care in many other charities and this makes so many charities collapse. But, coming to GLO was a breath of fresh air and brought back that initial inspiration i had when i first came to Kenya volunteering. Mary and Kevin asked me to come in and help with management systems e.g. staffing, staff training, play therapy programmes, farm income project, school establishment, computer centres and training programmes for the children and staff, establishing internet network, volunteer programme, etc.
Once you come and visit you will see how genuinely happy and loved these children are. These kids have been taken from destitute situations and have been given a chance in life that the majority of Kenyan children could never get.
I think the key to the success of GLO is Kevin and Mary’s business management experience. I have seen so many idealists coming to kenya and starting up a charity without having an inclination of how to manage an organisation, not knowing how to manage staff, resources, maintenance issues, Human resource issues, financial reporting, financial budgetting, fundraising, etc. As a result, the charity fails apart within one year with the poor Kenyans suffering as a result. However, Kevin and Mary have taken their professional management experience to GLO and have created an organisation that works perfectly at raising happy, well educated children.
If you want to give donations you may think that GLO has excess money and facilities but, that is only because they manage funds so well, transparently and efficiently. Some of the poorer charities are this way because of poor management and lack of efficiency.
I returned for 2 days this Christmas and the place was still running like clockwork and the children were still as joyous as ever. By far, the best managed charity with the happiest kids i know.”

Mama Mary & Papa Kevin at the GLO

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