Delegates from the Archdiocese of Liverpool and CAFOD have returned from their ‘emotional’ fact-finding and faith sharing trip to Kenya.

The travelling party spent just over a week there, visiting CAFOD’s office in Nairobi where they also had Mass at the Basilica, and projects in Marsabit in northern Kenya and Isiolo in central Kenya.

Fr Anthony Kelly; Fr Martin Fyles; seminarian Joseph Campbell; headteacher Susan Noblet; teacher Philip Melia; Kathryn Edmond, CAFOD Parish Volunteer and Chaplain; and Colette Byrne, from CAFOD were all on the trip.

Sue, from St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Euxton, spoke about the ‘inspirational experience’ of visiting these projects, which included tree planting.

“My visit to Kenya with CAFOD and the Archdiocese of Liverpool has been a truly life-changing, thought-provoking and inspirational experience.

“Meeting the communities, Church partners and Caritas teams who work tirelessly to support people in some of the hardest-to-reach areas was both humbling and deeply moving. I know this visit won’t simply become a lovely memory — it has changed something in me.

“I returned with a renewed sense of purpose and a determination to do more to support CAFOD’s incredible work.

“The people we met, their stories, their faith and their resilience will stay with me for a lifetime.

“I feel enormously privileged and grateful to have shared this unforgettable journey and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this journey takes me next.”

Meanwhile, Colette spoke of the privilege to meet those people working on the ground in these communities. “We are so grateful to Liverpool Archdiocese for sending a fantastic group of people to visit CAFOD projects and meet our church partners who we work through.

“It was truly a privilege to meet those who work incredibly hard on the ground utilising every penny that is donated to help some of the hardest-to-reach communities.

“We travelled the vast desert for hours by car to reach the most remote communities who were so happy to welcome us. They said they don’t receive many visitors that often.

“They kindly told us about their challenges of a lack of water. Currently there is a drought, and their water tank is empty.

“CAFOD support through cash donations. This is used to buy water and food, but there are still other costs that the community need to cover such as the cost of sending their children to school.

“It is a real challenge of survival, and the communities are incredibly resilient. CAFOD, alongside local experts in Caritas do remarkable work in supporting these wonderful communities.”