By Ross Thomson
Copyright dailyrecord
A Wishaw woman has reflected on a charity mission to Kenya to help some of the world’s poorest people. Fiona McCall spent a fortnight working with Project Nakuru helping build classrooms, hand out food parcels and give equipment to help local schools and nurseries in need. Fiona was joined on the trip by fellow Wishaw woman, ex Airdrie and Hamilton footballer Brian McPhee and a number of other volunteers from Scotland. And the trip was rounded off when it was announced a new classroom at a renovated school would be named in Fiona’s honour. She said: “Friday was our last day so we headed up to our new baby faith school where we’ve had a new class built and their old mud hut classroom is getting fixed. “I was truly honoured and humbled the night before at dinner when Brian made a wee speech and said they all wanted to name the new class room after me. “We gave them all project Nakuru bags filled with wee treats in toys. “We’ve also paid for a playground to be built, as well as getting tables , chairs, improving the toilets and getting proper fencing built.” The charity’s work is only possible thanks to the generosity of Wishaw and the wider Lanarkshire community. Almost £15,000 was raised by Fiona and the team of volunteers ahead of their fortnight in Africa. “Getting that amount of cash into their money (the Kenyan shilling) is like winning the Lottery,” explained Fiona. “We can do so much with it. “But it’s not just raising money through raffles and other fundraising things. “We were able to take out clothes and wee dolls for the kids. They had never had a doll before. “Being able to kit out schools with all the essentials they need for the coming year is so important. “It certainly puts things into perspective when you see how people are living but for the kids education is key. “Some kids over here don’t want to go to school but over they are desperate to get to school. It’s like their golden ticket to a better life. “While we can only do so much in the fortnight we are there we have people on the ground who are able to make sure the work continues when we head back to Scotland.” In 2023, Fiona was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. However, despite that devastating diagnosis, she has continued to fundraise for Project Nakuru and is aiming to Kenya next year. “I’m still doing okay,” said Fiona. “I’m struggling a wee bit to get my breath but I just need to rest a bit more. “That was Brian’s 10th year going out and my fifth. I’m determined to be going back next year. “Seeing kids you have helped over the years just keeps me going. I’ll be taking a couple of weeks off and then I’ll be right back to it. “The day I came back I was thinking up fundraising ideas!” Project Nakuru was set up back in 2011 and since then has made a huge difference to people in that community. You can find out more by logging onto the Project Nakuru Facebook page. *Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .
