Local Manhattan Beach family starts charity for Kenyan orphans

By Jessica Beeli
Staff Writer

Halfway across the world, a Mira Costa student is changing the lives of orphans in battle-stricken and disease ridden Kenya.

A local Manhattan Beach family has taken philanthropy into their own hands and started Cunningham Kids for Kenya, a charity benefiting orphans in Kenya. Annie Cunningham, a senior, and her family have founded a charity benefiting St. Mary’s Children’s Orphanage Mayatima in Kenya, Africa.

“The orphanage itself was founded back in 2008, and now cares for around 350 children,” senior Annie Cunningham said. “ These kids are completely dependent on St. Mary’s for their basic needs like food and shelter, along with education and spirituality.”

While visiting Africa to renew wedding vows, the Cunningham family came across a local church parish in the wild grasslands of Kenya. There they met a community of children sustained by St Mary’s Orphanage and run by Reverend Father Bonaventure Ongau, or Father Bonny.

“Father Bonny is a great man, and an essential part in the improvement of these children’s lives”, Cunningham said. “Not only did he renew my parent’s wedding vows but he also got us involved with this cause in the first place.”

The Cunningham’s spent time in Kenya exploring and taking in the sights, but also learning about what the orphanage provided for the children. During this process the Cunningham family also got to know Father Bonny and the kids.

“The kids and all that they’ve been through really started to grow on me and my family,” Cunningham said “And when we figured out all that St. Mary’s was doing for them we knew that we had to help out.”

The Cunninghams have come together in running this charity as a family. The Cunningham parents, along with their three children, Annie, Tommy and Jackson are helping out with the cause.

“I wish (The Cunningham Family) all the best in their daily work,” Father Bonny said. “ Pass my warm greetings to all the family members. The kids are so grateful for their unwavering help to them and they pray for them all”.

The Cunningham family as a whole has since become the sole US liaison to the orphanage, responsible for making sure that the orphanage gets what it needs to survive. They have set up many fundraisers, including website for the orphanage where people can learn about the cause and donate money through a PayPal account.

“There are more and more orphaned children every day and Father Bonny and the parish can only provide so much”, Cunningham said “That’s why we need outside help. We’ve set up the website and put on fundraisers like garage sales and lemonade stands to raise money and awareness.”

Kenya, along with many countries along the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia and Somalia, has been plagued with many struggles throughout the years such as election fraud, ethnically based violence and infectious diseases. Many of the children affected by these conflicts found their way to St. Mary’s.

“These kids have been through a lot, and their lives have been drastically affected by things outside of their control,”Cunningham said “But Father Bonny is really helping these kids.”

Cunningham Kids for Kenya has been supporting the orphanage and the surrounding community by providing basics such as food and shelter, and also building tin roofs and providing education. The mission statement of the orphanage is “to empower children in need to become productive members of society through rehabilitation, education and self-reliance skills.”

“We are praying hard for the orphanage to succeed for the good of these kids” Father Bonny said.