Last year, Mary Rice Centre purchased a nearby house to be used for programs which help parents of children with disabilities develop income-generating activities. It is named Virgilian House in recognition of the support of the St Virgil’s College community in Hobart.
For over a year, the Centre has been harassed by another agency over its right to use this house. This controversy reached serious dimension recently when some local youths demolished the wall of Virgilian House. The neighbour eventually put up a gate and locked it, blocking access to the house.
Br Gerald Mgalula, Director of Mary Rice Centre, has had countless visits to the various Government offices seeking help so that the parents of children of the Mary Rice Centre can continue uninterrupted with their income-generating activities.
His unrelenting efforts finally resulted in success. On Friday June 5, Nairobi County Chief of Staff George Wainaina, flanked by Joash Olum (Member of Parliament –Langata), Alex Otieno (Member of County Assembly), Richard Juma (Chief of Mugumoini Location) and about one hundred parents and friends of Mary Rice Centre, gathered at the site on which Virgilian House is situated to have the stand-off between the owner of the Good Heart Foundation and the Centre resolved.
The Chief of Staff, after inspecting the grounds, promised that on Monday June 8 the County Surveyor would come and divide the property into two and give occupancy licenses to the Good Heart Foundation and the Mary Rice Centre respectively.
This outcomes is a great relief to parents, staff, and all those who are interested in the wellbeing of the Mary Rice Centre. The leaders who visited were moved by the great ministry that Mary Rice is rendering to the disadvantaged children and expressed their disappointment with anyone who is blocking this service delivery to the underprivileged of our society.
L–‐R Joash Olum (MP Langata), George Wainaina (Chief of Staff Nairobi County, Alex Otieno (Member of County Assembly) with parents and friends of the Mary Rice community.
