When Lox Busisa was a little boy growing up in the one of the largest slums in Kenya, little did he think that one day he would be invited to cross the threshold of Buckingham Palace and be introduced to King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla.

But this week Lox, together with his wife Ruth, were invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace to join the King and Queen as they celebrated Kenya’s 60th year of independence ahead of their State Visit to the country.

This was the first reception their Majesties have held for a Commonwealth country since King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2022 and marked one of the rare times a Head of State or Government has held an event to honour and celebrate Kenya’s Diaspora anywhere on the planet.

“The dream of meeting the King was never there, because I never believed it would be possible,” says Lox, 38, from his home in Haverfordwest.

Western Telegraph: Lox and Ruth Busisa being presented to King Charles at a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday

“I was born and raised in a large slum area in Kenya and our lives were a very basic, hand-to-mouth struggle. Yes, of course we were taught about the kings and queens of other countries, but I didn’t even have a passport or an ID so I never imagined that one day I’d be invited to Buckingham Palace and shake the hand of King Charles.”

Lox’s wife, Ruth (nee Blunt), is a native of Maenclochog who travelled to Kenya as a missionary in 2011.  Whilst there, she met Lox Busisa, fell in love with him, and two years later they got married.

Since then the couple have dedicated their lives to Love Your Neighbour, a charity that carries out essential social and educational projects for the people of Kenya.

More recently their work has focussed around Kilifi which is one of Kenya’s largest slum settlements.

Each year Lox and Ruth, together with Ruth’s father Steve Blunt, travel to Kenya with a group of young Pembrokeshire volunteers to carry out life-changing work in the settlements. These range from handing out much-needed educational supplies for the schools to building community centres, community libraries and disabled toilets.

Western Telegraph: Lox and Ruth on one of their previous missions to Kenya, with some of the local volunteersLox and Ruth on one of their previous missions to Kenya, with some of the local volunteers (Image: Lox Busisa)

They will be returning in March 2024 to build a water tank which will store water for the people to use during the dry season. At the moment those people have to travel many miles in their quest for drinking water.

“It’s so important for the people of Pembrokeshire to have the chance to visit places like Kenya and to see for themselves just how much the work charities like this are doing to benefit the indigenous people,” continued Lox.

“We try to encourage local teenagers to take part and join us on our journeys because the fulfilment they get at meeting teenagers who are living such very different lives to theirs is so important.

“The people of Kenya, particularly in the slum district of Kilfi, have absolutely nothing at all. And this is what Ruth felt when she first visited all those years ago. Today she’s helped more people than she ever imagined possible, and this work looks set to continue for many years to come.”

So what impression has the King of England left in the mind of the man who once lived in one of the largest slums of Kenya?

“King Charles is an extremely humble man, despite his life and his position,” said Lox.

“He didn’t just go through the programme of the day, but he listened to each and every one of us and asked questions about the sorts of things we’re doing to help and support the people of Kenya.

“And when you hear King Charles III say to you, ‘Well done’, you know that it’s got to be one of the top honours you can get.”

If you would like to make a donation towards the trip in March, or would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer, they should visit the website.