Into the Heart has been developed specifically for school leaders, teachers, and school support staff. It is quite simply, an opportunity for participants to visit the projects we are passionately supporting, and the remarkable people we are walking with.
Participants will experience direct contact with the recipients of the generosity that flows from their EREA school communities. It is our aim that Edmund Rice identity and charism, will be at the heart of this visit, along with a greater understanding of sustainable development in action.
>>>Scroll down to express your interest in joining Into the Heart in September 2026 below.
Hear from Sian Kennedy, former Director of Identity at St Joseph’s Nudgee College, on her recent experience with Into the Heart immersion.
Read Group Leader, Jason Bonger’s reflections from Into the Heart, 2024.
>>> Into the Heart 2024 – An Opportunity and a Privilege
Watch Isikeli Kubunameca, Assistant Principal Identity and Global Advocacy at St James College share his highlights from Into the Heart.
Into the heart of education. Into the heart of sustainable development. Into the heart of Edmund Rice Charism. An unforgettable journey.
It’s a jam-packed itinerary, but we haven’t forgotten fun and downtime! There will be multiple opportunities to enjoy Kenya’s world-famous coffee and shop for special mementos. Many of the programs we visit offer beautiful, handcrafted homewares and fashion items that we encourage you to purchase, as the profits directly support the programs. Beyond our programs, we will visit some bespoke markets and hand-crafted social enterprises in both Kenya and Uganda.
You’ll be greeted at the airport by our friendly Kenyan team, and Aussie tour leader.
Check in at the Mary Ward Centre – your home base for the next week to refresh and relax. Nestled in the beautiful Karen precinct, the Mary Ward Centre offers a spacious, leafy, and secure environment with cosy communal spaces to eat, meet, relax, reflect, and share in this amazing experience!
You’ll be ready to hit day one after a good night’s sleep in your private ensuite room.
Split into smaller groups, you will spend the day at either Ruben Centre, or Edmund Rice Centre Nairobi.
Ruben Centre is a hub of community-based enterprise and social support services supporting the surrounding Mukuru township. School for 3000+, trade and training centres, community radio, urban farming, medical and birthing facilities — a few highlights of this dynamic and intricate community not easily forgotten. Brace yourself for some acrobatics and orchestra – Mukuru style!
Edmund Rice Centre Nairobi is an unforgettable experience, where young people face extraordinary physical, intellectual and social challenges. Meet their families. See incredible professionals provide therapeutic intervention, education, socialisation and integration. Meet families during sensitively managed home visits in the slums of Mukuru and Kibera.
In the evening, enjoy downtime at Mary Ward and a home-cooked dinner followed by guided reflection – unpacking a big day.
Alternate visits to either Centre in small groups.
In the evening you will find yourself at the heart of our “Commissioning Ceremony”.
This unforgettable experience brings together all the elements of Edmund Rice charism – Kenyan style! You’ll be “invited into the Kenyan family” as part of a beautiful ceremony celebrating the universal solidarity of the Edmund Rice movement through an evening of cultural music, dance and food.
Experience the Kenyan education system close-up — the challenges of the local community, and the innovations that sustain this school will provide for an enriching day. Take part in the college mass as a special guest.
See Edmund Rice Dairies – a ground-breaking agricultural project that provides an income stream for the school, as well as enhancing the school curriculum. There’s no better place to try some fresh Kenyan yoghurt.
Be part of a facilitated cultural exchange discussion with school leaders and teachers to tackle the similarities and differences between the two national education systems.
Dinner will be at the award-winning Tamarind Restaurant with Edmund Rice Foundation’s Kenya Branch Office – a chance to fine dine, unwind and get to meet the incredible team that directly supports and sustains the relationship with the African projects.
Enjoy an encounter with many faces of Kibera through the lens of innovative sustainable development. Mirror of Hope is a community-based organisation that bustles with activity and energy as it strives to empower the people of Kibera, one of Africa’s largest and most recognised urban slums.
Programs target a wide range of skill-building activities, ranging from tailoring, computer-based learning, to marketing and business management. See first-hand the powerful potential of programs like SILC, Saving and Internal Lending Community – supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). Meet the women who have started their own businesses and listen to their remarkable stories of self-determination and achievement.
An evening at Mary Ward Centre, and an opportunity for special guided reflection activities to help process the impact of the journey into the heart – so far.
You can’t come to Kenya without seeing the big 5. Our reputable travel partner will drive us to this renowned game park so you can see famous wildlife and escape the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Staying at a beautiful and comfortable safari lodge will provide the perfect opportunity to breath and take in the stunning natural environment of Africa. Following a fabulous breakfast and a leisurely morning safari we will return to Nairobi on day 7.
At Mary Ward Centre we will reconnect and reflect on the journey so far and pack our bags for the next adventure.
Following a short morning flight, we will arrive in Entebbe, a picturesque district, a short drive from Kampala. This will provide us with an opportunity to see the mighty Lake Victoria up close. We will have some time to catch our breath, see a little of the local attractions, enjoy some food together on the shores of Lake Victoria and prepare before we head deeper into rural Uganda after a night in comfortable accommodation.
A new journey into the heart – Manyar, Uganda. It’s a bit of a drive, but there’s lots of beautiful scenery, and a bit of shopping and lunch enroute, and an amazing destination awaits. We will hit the ground running, exploring a local community that is different from anything you’re likely to have seen before. We will see innovation in agriculture through community-based coffee production and see the lasting impact of Australian funded support to provide medical and educational intervention.
Our home for the next two nights will be the Manya Community Parish hosted by the delightful friend of Edmund Rice Foundation, Father Emmanuel.
The village of Manya and surrounds is picturesque, mountainous, green and tropical. St Joseph’s School Kensekka is a short drive away from Manya but faces many additional challenges to the village. Strap yourself in as we immerse ourselves in both these very special places and meet the beautiful people who inhabit them. Locals love sharing their music and song, and you will love being drawn into this vibrant community.
Despite a complicated and brutal history and significant resource inequity you will discover the locals are full of optimism and warmth. We will spend the next two days exploring the history, culture and challenges experienced by this community, and how the work of Edmund Rice Foundation is helping to rebuild hope and empower locals. You will be pleasantly surprised by both the genuine warmth, and the vivid display of culture that awaits you in Uganda.
We will spend the day at St Joseph’s Kensekka school, hearing the challenges of staff and students and celebrating their culture, resilience, determination and successes. We will also learn how we can help be part of their aspirations through supporting sustainable development.
A final goodbye to Manya and back to Entebbe. Our last night together will be one of reflection as we share a meal and celebrate our epic journey together — into the heart.
Depart Entebbe, Uganda for your return flight to Australia
Tentative dates:
