30/08/2024
Hi everyone! The kit we’ve been collecting over the past few months has finally landed in Kenya! Thanks to Alan and his wife Hannah, the gear you helped collect is now with our friends in Kisumo. Please see message below from Alan. Thanks everyone!
To everyone who donated and took part in donating the martial arts kit to Kisumu.
I’m overwhelmed by how kind you were to do such a thing. It’s incredible. From the bottom of my heart - thank you.
It will no doubt benefit many people. More especially it will benefit children. Most of whom may never have the means to go to the local gym and more often than not, don’t have the money to even go to school.
The effects this will have for people will be much wider than all the things we know about as martial artists. Not only will it bring people together, help people become fitter and learn new skills... it could even land skilful people a job in the police (the police sometimes pick good fighters from the street and train them up as officers)...
Because the martial arts training is most likely going to be outdoors lots of people will come and watch and word will spread. Who knows where this could lead... if the Kenyan government lifts their ban on the UFC, maybe one day we’ll have a Kisumu champ!
Vincent who is receiving the kit is a lovely man - very kind, funny, patient, loves martial arts and is also struggling to make ends meet, but he seems to somehow manage it.
This will be another string to his bow.
I met his kids once and one of them is a tough little cookie... I put my hands up for him to punch them, before I knew it he was right at me, no smiles, pure determination and my hands were red raw. Somehow I reckon he’ll be leading the way!
The kit landed in Kisumu yesterday. My wife will meet Vincent very soon. She’ll do her best to get a video, certainly some photographs.
My heartfelt thanks,
Alan
