Friends of Londiani was set up in 2000 and is run by ten directors.

Maria Kidney is the Chairperson of Friends of Londiani. In July 2000, Maria travelled to Kenya on a climbing expedition. While shopping in Nairobi with some friends Maria was mugged and so sought refuge in the Kenyan Girl Guides' Headquarters. During her time there she learned of the many projects that the Kenyan Girl Guides are involved in, and so on returning to Ireland a proposal was drawn up to turn this dream into a reality for the Irish Guiding Associations. A group of 20 Adult Guide Leader travelled to Londiani in August 2002 to complete a project there. On returning home from Kenya, the Friends of Londiani was set up. Maria is an IT professional working in Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland.

Helen Concannon is the Vice Chairperson of Friends of Londiani. A secondary school teacher currently based in Dublin, originally from Galway, she first got involved in FOL in 2001 over an Irish breakfast with Maria! This continued through her involvement in The Irish Girl Guides in which she is still a volunteer leader.

Martin Ballantyne is the Executive Director of Friends of Londiani. Martin first went to Kenya in 2003 on honeymoon where he got married again in the village of Lelsothet! Martin has been involved in the Friends of Londiani since 2002.


 

Joe Willis is Treasurer of Friends of Londiani.  Joe was part of the FOL Harambee 2005 team that completed projects in Kenya in 2005. Joe is a Medical Scientist by profession and is currently Laboratory Manager at the Munster Regional Transfusion Centre in Cork.   Joe also does voluntary work with The Irish Girl Guides and Scouting Ireland in Macroom.

Hazel Murphy has been involved in FOL since 2002. She was a member of the original Harambee 2002 project in Kenya and became a member of the Friends of Londiani on her return. She is a Montessori teacher and runs her own school based in Ballinlough, Cork.

Ger Murphy has been involved in FOL since 2002, and visited Kenya for the first time in 2007. Ger is a Shift Operator in a factory in Cork, and spends a lot of time organising events and programmes for FOL.

Deirdre Henley was a member of the original Harambee 2002 project in Kenya and became a member of the Friends of Londiani on her return.  She is a volunteer Leader with the local Guides and Scouts and a member of the Senior Citizen’s Committee in Macroom.  Deirdre works as a Development Officer with The Irish Girl Guides in the South West Region.

 

Mr. John Spillane – John has retired as Managing Director of  Mercier Press        and lives in Fountainstown, Co. Cork. He has traveled to Kenya with FOL five times and enjoys using the skills he learnt through his hobby of beekeeping to help communities in Kenya. His other hobbies of traveling and choral singing have also been utilized by FOL. John joined the Board in September 2009.
 

Mr. Shea Fahy - Shea joined Musgrave as Senior HR Manager in April 2001 from IBEC. Prior to this Shea worked in the Defence Forces for a number of years. She was appointed to the position of HR Director in February 2003. Musgrave are long term supporters of FOL through the education bursary scheme. Shea believes that developing people is key and certainly does that through his role both in and out of work. He has played for both Kildare and Cork and so is no stranger to teamwork. Shea joined the Board in September 2009

Dr. Meabh Ní Bhuinneáin – Meabh first volunteered with FOL in 2005 and has been back to Kenya many times since and is now leading the Hospital Link between Londiani District Hospital and Mayo General Hospital. Meabh graduated from UCD in 1990 and works as a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist since 2001 in Mayo General. Her interests include global reproductive health, teaching and training. Meabh joined the board in September 2009.

FOL Ireland is an official registered charity (CHY16505), and will continue to work with development projects in Kenya. Friends of Londiani Kenya is now a recognised NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) in Kenya.

Friends of Londiani has 5 Focus Groups and a Management Team which allow the organisation to implement its strategic plan.  These Focus Groups are Health, Water, Education, Fundraising and Marketing.

Links:  History of Friends of Londiani