Malta’s Kenyan Community Mourns Schoolgirls: Vigil Planned

Malta’s Kenyan Community in Mourning: A Call for Solidarity

In the heart of Msida, Malta, the Kenyan community is in mourning. News of the tragic arson attack at a girls’ boarding school in Kenya has left them reeling, as they grapple with the loss of 16 young lives, so far away yet painfully close to home.

From Msida to Nakuru: A Shared Grief

Malta’s Kenyan community is small but tight-knit. Many of them hail from Nakuru, the town where the tragedy unfolded. The girls’ school, Kakamega Girls High School, is a beacon of hope in the region, known for its academic excellence and nurturing environment. The fire that engulfed the dormitory on Monday morning has left the community here in Malta, thousands of miles away, in shock and sorrow.

In Msida’s busy streets, where Kenyan restaurants and shops dot the scene, the mood is somber. “It’s like a part of us has been taken,” says Jane, a Kenyan nurse who has called Malta home for the past five years. “We’re all asking, ‘What if it was our daughter, our sister, our niece?'”

Malta’s Response: A Beacon of Solidarity

Malta’s response to the tragedy has been swift and heartfelt. The Maltese government has extended its condolences, with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, Ian Borg, stating, “Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the Kenyan people during this difficult time.”

Locally, the Kenyan community has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. “Malta has been our home away from home,” says John, a Kenyan student studying in Malta. “The love and solidarity we’ve received from Maltese people have been a source of strength in this difficult time.”

In a show of solidarity, a candlelight vigil is planned for this Friday at the Msida Bastion Gardens. The event, organized by the Kenyan community in Malta with the support of the Maltese authorities, is open to all. “We invite everyone to join us,” says Jane. “Let’s stand together in grief, but also in hope.”