Mukeni's story, written by his father Martin...

"On the 16^th March 1998 at less than a day old, a baby boy was left abandoned in a park in Thika, a small town in Kenya. Luckily, two passing ladies heard him crying and immediately took him to the local police station, where he was transferred to Thika Hospital. His chances of survival were thought so low that for six months this baby received only minimal medical care and attention. But he was determined to live. The lack of care did however affect him – he lost sight in his left eye and became severely sick and malnourished, weighing less than a newborn baby at 9 months old. Fortunately this little baby was eventually found by a newly formed Christian charity called New Life who support severely ill and abandoned children. Here he was given the best possible chance of life and eventually adopted into a loving home.

 

At home the adverse affects of His early years meant that he could not  focus on anything for too long and suffered as a result of his restricted vision. His mum decided that dance could possibly help in his development and placed him into a local ballet school, where he has remained for over ten years. 

Today this boy, Mukeni Nel, has become an accomplished dancer, having danced with the English Youth Ballet, Royal Ballet Associates and now the London Children's Ballet. He has also just been awarded a scholarship at the prestigous Tring Park School for the Performing Arts.

Mukeni wants to be an example to all children, proving that no matter what start in life they may have all things are possible."