Messaggio da Korogocho



carissimi! jambo! 
3 messaggi in uno.....
vi mando un invito importante...
cominciamo a korogocho la civic education sulla costituzione....molto bollente....sara un tempo strano e speriamo.....proficuo...
tuko pamoja

P. Daniele Moschetti
Korogocho

1000KM MARATHON IN SOLIDARITY WITH BLAST VICTIMS

One thousand is really along distance particularly if it has to be covered on foot, a midst shouts of impossible, ‘lies’ God knows what, from pessimists.  This is the distance that a group of 13 athletes and four officials of St. John Sports Society, Korogocho (SSS) covered.  The marathon involved running from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi.  The managers of a private tour company that operate a business at the site where terrorists associated with Osama Bin Laden killed Tanzanians flagged off the marathon.  The bomb last at the same time killed more than 250 Kenyans.  Both blasts targeted the American Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.  Besides the 7
th August 1998 bomb lasts in the two East African cities, other subsequent bomb blasts have killed people and destroyed property in Kenya, Egypt, US, Spain and recently in London.

The society, which brings together ten different sports, therefore responded to the global call against International terrorism.   The Marathon was organized to be in solidarity with all the victims of socio-geopolitical terrorrism.  Each athlete covered a distance of 5 km in turn until the day’s programme was complete.  The seven  day programme was organized to cover a given distance from 90km-200km each day.  Each athlete covered about 20km per day.  The twelve athletes were drawn from different age groups, from 22-56 years.  Each day started with short prayers and breakfast before the marathon.  The evenings were preferred for brief evaluations of the day’s activities and a mass celebrated by Fr. Daniel Moschetti, the chairperson of the society.

The true spirit of East African community was perhaps present through out the trip.  At every stopped, the Kenyan and peace flags, flying beautifully on top of our bus, attracted tens of curious on lookers.  In their characteristic brotherliness, the Tanzanians welcomed us.  We exchanged ideas with different groups of people.  Many of them got surprise presents of marathon T-shirts, the theme of the activity ‘Marathon for not forgetting’ well inscribed.  The high light of this hospitality was a brief moment with the Tanzanian vice  President who stopped and wished the group good luck.  A walk and cycling supplemented the athletes.

As the marathon came to an end, instead of tired hopeless people, all the participants wore faces of people satisfied with their mission, completed against all odds.  At the Nyayo stadium, the  athletes were joined by other participants from different parts of the society.  The now enlarged group triumphantly entered the city centre, singing songs of victory against terrorism and condemning all perpetrations of terrorism.  The 1998 bomb blast victims who have been on a hunger strike at the 1998 bomb blast memorial  welcomed the athletes.  CKRC Secretary Patrick Lumumba who joined the victims advised them not only to look at the American government but also call upon the government of Kenya to take responsibility.

At the end of the day, it was evident that when  people are united and committed for a mission, no matter how difficult it may seem, it will always be successful.  Perhaps its good to read from the SSS motto:  Pamoja Tunaweza.



THOUSANDS AT THE ‘BACK PINOCCHIO FESTIVAL’


A bout 3,000 people recently attendant the much celebrated ‘Pinocchio’ festival at St. John Catholic Church, Korogocho.  The show, adopted from the Black Pinnocchio play by a group of former street children from Dagoretti Child in Need Programme, brought together street children from different street children homes in Nairobi, including Bomas Rescue Children centre, Korogocho street children Programme among others.

AMREF Italy and St. John Catholic Church Korogocho jointly organized the festival.  They presented  to the world the tremendous talents which would otherwise rot on the streets.  The black Pinocchio play has been staged in different cities in Italy.  The play presents the struggles of the poor people particularly parents who have to do all sorts of odd jobs to provide for their children.  ‘Black Pinocchio’ the main character, struggles throughout the play to fulfill his dream of getting good educations so that he can get a good job and buy his father a new coat.  His father owned only one tattered coat, which he had to exchange with books to take his son, Pinocchio to school.  The play also castigates the society’s love for free and lazy lifestyle.  A group of Young people are happy that they will be sent by a fire eater to a land where everything will  be free and there will be no work. Each one of them looks forward to this great land where each of them will get all they need free.

The festival also featured performances with instruments such as water containers, acrobats and dancers. 
Korogocho location chief graced the occasion.  Addressing the audience, he thanked the event organizers for highlighting the talents of the street children.





















ST. JOHN CATHOLIC CHURCH ,KOROGOCHO
BOX 47714 00100 GPO NAIROBI
TEL 254  020  780430
MOBILE; 0733-702972
E-MAIL:
combonikario at clubinternetk.com


PRESS RELEASE

DR.  LUMUMBA TO OFFICIATE CIVIC EDUCATION

Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) Secretary General Dr.  Patrick Lumumba will this Sunday 28th August 2005 officiate a civic educations programme at St. John Catholic Church, Korogocho.

The Programme will sensitize the wananchi on the  Draft Constitution and prepare them for the referendum.  The functions will commence at 2 p.m and will target the residents of Korogocho, Dandora, Baba Dogo and Ruaraka.

Meanwhile, Dr.  Lumumba is scheduled to hold a similar functions at Kariobangi Catholic Church, on 4
th September 2005 at 2 p.m .  The functions will target residents of Mathare North, Huruma, Kariobangi and Light Industries