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“Hi Guys, Thank you for taking the time to read this; it really means a lot to me! I have recently got back from teaching Art and Music at County Primary School in Embu, Kenya. The Primary School consists of 1000 children who all live in Embu’s slums. I was given a tour of the slums and was able to see first hand the appalling living conditions and poverty that these children endure every day. Most of the homes have no electricity. The children drink dirty drinking water. Some of the children walk for hours each day to get to the school because they have no transport. Their school uniforms are often ripped and falling to pieces.

Education is really important to the children. Going to school is the highlight of their week and their enthusiasm for learning is unbelievable. Three years ago, when I was in the final year of my music degree, I was introduced to the school through a charity called moving mountains. For my degree project, I fundraised enough money to provide the school with descant and treble recorders as well as the money to re-build two dilapidated classrooms. I was supposed to visit the school in 2007 but this coincided with me signing the deal with Ruf Records and so my dad ‘Chris Wilde’ went in my place to deliver the instruments.

My dad was moved by what he saw in Kenya; the poverty and the hardship combined with the kindness and generosity of the Kenyan people. In September 2008, myself, my Mum, my brother Will Wilde and my Dad all went out to visit the school. My dad had raised the money to provide the school with a water tank so that the children were able to wash their hands after using the toilets. This has greatly reduced the speading of germs at the school and so fewer children are sick. The toilets however, are literally a tin shed, inside of which is a hole in the ground. The smell is awful; you can smell it from the classrooms, and the hole is surrounded by flies. There is no toilet roll. It is utterly unhygienic and is obviously a big cause of the sickness at the school. We are keen to provide the school with proper toilets connected to Embu’s Sewage system. This will cost a lot of money and this is why I am begging you for your help.

Please click the link below to make a donation to our fundraising account with Just Giving/Moving Mountains. All of the money will be put to very good use at the school.

Also, the school desperately needs basic equipment such as pens, books, pencils, musical instruments, sports equipment etc. If you are able to donate any of the above or have any other ideas, please send me a myspace message and I will write back to you as soon as I can. The children love music and have a great music teacher. The 70 recorders I gave to the school have been put to great use. We organized a fun-day for the children where they performed for us. The fun-day also provided them with a free meal and fizzy drink, and bouncy castles for the day. They had a great time. Many of the children had never had a bottle of coca-cola before, let alone seen a bouncy castle.

If you would like to hold a fundraising event on behalf of the school that would also be greatly appreciated. You could play a gig, hold a local coffee morning, set up a bring and buy sale, or organize a raffle. Anything you could do to help would be greatly appreciated and will make a huge difference to the school and the children. Some of the children at the school would benefit from being sponsored so they could afford to go to secondary school instead of having to finish their education and get a job. These kids have so much enthusiasm, talent and potential but they are greatly let down by the poor and corrupt society that they live in. If you’re interested in helping, please let me know!

Again, the school and I really appreciate your help. Please have a good look at my pictures and videos! I hope to see you at a gig soon! I will be organizing a few special ‘Playing the Blues for Africa’ fundraising gigs in England so keep an eye out!

Lots of love always!

Dani Wilde xxxxx