Neel Mehta
Two government contracting industry veterans have launched a campaign that aims to raise $50,000 in funds to set up a sustainable food source and complete the construction of a new dormitory in support of a local orphanage in Kenya.
Jason Souza, director of Army program for national security solutions at PAE; and Chris Taylor, an explosive ordnance disposal expert who now works at the Arlington, Virginia-based government services contractor; lead a team of volunteers who support the Kenya-based Mama Wachiras Children’s Home, PAE said Thursday.
Mama Wachiras currently accommodates 30 children and aims to increase the number of children it houses to 64 through the establishment of a new dorm and other facilities.
Souza, Taylor and other volunteers have teamed up with Kenya’s defense force to provide the children’s home with a water system, a common area building with a kitchen and a security fence, among other facilities.
The GoFundMe campaign has so far raised over $21,000 and needs additional funds to back the establishment of an additional dorm building under the project’s initial phase.
“By doing the work ourselves and with tremendous support from family, friends and our company, we have accomplished so much for the children” said Souza, also an EOD veteran.
“However, we still critically need additional funds in order to get this project over the finish line, which will dramatically improve the lives of these children.â€
The EOD veterans and their team also plan to equip the children’s home with additional living quarters, a new septic system, bunk beds, solar power and home school materials once they complete the initial phases of the project.
Souza and Taylor started supporting the children’s home in September 2016 by providing clothes and shoes for the children as well as goats and chickens for the sustainable food source project.
