Kenyan Orphan Project
www.kopafrica.org T 01749 344591 ted.allen@kopafrica.org
The Kenyan Orphan Project was started in 2001 by a group of Nottingham medical students wishing to help children in the developing world in the context of the global AIDS crisis. Their work is based in Kisumu, western Kenya where there is great need: high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, disease, hunger, homelessness and very high rates of orphaned children.
KOP have well established and long standing working partnerships with local NGOs and fund a variety of projects through them including school building projects, orphan feeding centres, school support (uniforms, books, examination fees) and support for a street children’s centre. In 2009 KOP expects funding to help 1000 children.
An integral part of KOP’s work is to connect medical students in the UK with issues concerning child health in the developing world. To this end KOP mobilizes the support of medical students in numerous UK medical universities. Students raise funds to support charitable projects and visit Kisumu where they volunteer in the projects funded which over the years has included the building of Kochogo Secondary School and Kochogo Feeding Centre and the extension of Port Florence Hospital.
Today the medical students who formed KOP are fully fledged doctors and make up KOP’s board of trustees:
Dr Dan Magnus - Paediatrician at Bristol Children’s Hospital with special interest in International Child Health. Unit lead for Gender, Maternal and Child Health at the University of Bristol Centre for Child and Adolescent Health.
Dr Rebecca Leslie - Anaesthetist at RUH, Bath.
Dr Owain Evans - Orthopaedic Surgeon at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
With funding by Sofronie Foundation, KOP’s team has expanded to include Mr Ted Allen, KOP Director and Martina Gant, Student Co-ordinator.