Residents of Solai in Nakuru County have lauded Patel Family for continued contribution towards improving the education standards in the area.

The family that settled in the area since colonial time has been contributing immensely towards improving the education standards through establishment of schools and complementing government efforts in the education sector.

George Opondo, a local who has been working for many years in the Patel Farm, revealed to Nakurunews.co.ke that since the Patel Family settled in Solai’s Patel Coffee Estate, locals have reaped big.

According to Opondo, the late Businessman Patel Mansukh Kansagra inherited the spirit of Charity from Senior Patel and the same has been emulated by his son Perry Mansukh Patel.

The same charity work spirit saw Jamhuri Primary school that initially had grass structures renovated to the current modern school now with quality standard structures.

Opondo, who was speaking when he joined the Family in distributing foodstuffs to schools in the area, recalled that before the Patel Family stepped in, Jamhuri Primary was in a bad state with pupils having to sit on stones.

Majority of the pupils in these schools have their parents employed as casuals in the Huge Patel Coffee Estate.

“Patel Family has been of great help to us. We have job opportunities and the schools in this area have been improved in terms of infrastructure” said Opondo.

Despite Businessman Patel Mansukh Kansagra having died, his son Peri Mansukh Patel has vowed to continue with his late father’s spirit of uplifting livelihoods in Solai.

Schools such as Solai Nyakinyua Primary,Akuisi Primary,Akuisi Secondary and Mansukh Primary just to mention a few, are beneficiaries of the Family’s charity work with over 10 pupils already on full sponsorship.

“The family has made assurance to the locals that whatever charity work was started by their forefathers will continue” said Opondo.

The script is the same at Solai Nyakinyua Primary where the Patel Family has been of support with 8 modern classrooms constructed to ease congestion.

Speaking after receiving food donations from the Family, School’s Deputy Head teacher Ms Jenifer Muthoga said the school that has over 700 pupils and 17 teachers has had challenges of congestion and Patel Family gesture has helped a lot.

“We have had challenges here with classrooms. However, we are grateful that Patel stepped in and did the 8 modern classrooms you are seeing over there” she said.

Sentiments echoed by Ms Ruth Kairu who called for the need for more classrooms in the area as well as a feeding program.

Patel Farm General Manager Vinoj Kumar who witnessed the donations to over 14 schools in the area, stated that it is not a one-time gesture but they will continue to do so more often.

He called on Kenyans to embrace charity work and try to practice it in their little capacity to make a better society.

“We have done so for many years in several schools here. It’s a call to all people in society to also try and emulate the same. We need a society where everyone is happy” stated Vonoj.