The Todonyang Parish
Turkana is the most remote and poorest area of Kenya. Turkana is roughly the size of Ireland and home to nearly 1 million people.
Holy Apostles has been twinned with the Todonyang Parish in Turkana since 2002 and has been supporting them ever since.
The Todonyang mission was founded by the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) and it is still run by them.
The MCSPA brings the Word of God to the Turkana pastoralist communities and fosters peace between them and the Dassanech people across the Ethiopian border.
Sunday mass in Turkana is a joyful celebration with lots of singing and dancing. Mass is said in church and everywhere, even under a tree!
How people live
People live pasturing goats and fishing in the Turkana Lake.
Their houses are small huts made of reeds and straw. Most boys become shepherds or fishermen, and girls marry early. Only few go to school.
There is no running water or gas, and they cook on fire-wood. There are no roads and no transport; they walk everywhere. Children walk long distances each day to collect water.
The work of the mission
Pastoral care and evangelization are at the core. Water is the priority. Health and nutrition come next. But the most transformative investment is education.
The mission operates two schools and nurseries: the Queen of Peace boarding school and the St John Paul II school and nursery.
The Queen of Peace boarding school has been operating for about 15 years, goes up to grade 9 and it’s reached its maximum capacity of 350 children.
The St John Paul II school was founded just a few years ago, as there are still many children in the parish who do not go to school. It currently goes up to grade 3 and takes about 170 children.
Holy Apostles sponsored project: the St John Paul II school and nursery
The mission is seeking support to run and expand the day school up to grade 6 in 2029 and take up to 260 children.
The budget to run the St John Paul II school and nursery for 2026 is £17,000, which means that it costs only £100 per child to support a child for a full year!
At school, children are fed twice a day, and their health is looked after. Children learn from early age and develop into well-rounded young adults.
How to sponsor the school
You can sponsor the school with one-off donation, using the contactless machine in church, or via bank transfer or online with reference “Turkana”.
Donate one-off from here.
The best way to support the school is to become a “Friend of Turkana”.
Friends of Turkana
Become a Friend of Turkana and support the school for the next three years with three different options:
- Supporter – Sponsor one child for £100 per year
- Partner – Sponsor five children for £500 per year
- Champion – Sponsor ten children for £1000 per year
As a Friend of Turkana, you will get:
- A warm thank you letter
- Info and pictures of the school once a year
- A letter from a child once a year
- Your name on the school’s “Sponsor Wall” (Partners and Champions)
- Opportunity to visit the mission in Turkana (Champion only)
Sign up with a standing order here https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/pimlico/donate/