Rachel ‘Mojo’ Mojoyinoluwa Kehinde and Grace Omolayo Kehinde, were sisters and students at Edgbaston High School for Girls, in Birmingham.
They tragically died in an accidental flat fire whilst abroad, along with their parents, in 2017.
Their classmates decided to raise enough money to name two guide dog puppies in their memory via Guide Dogs' Name a Puppy scheme, and pups Grace and Mojo were born in April 2021.
Mojo has qualified as a guide dog with his owner, Dee Dewhurst, from Birmingham, who has the sight condition Glaucoma.
By chance, Dee gave a talk at Edgbaston High School for Girls in 2015, which kickstarted their connection with Guide Dogs.
Dee said: “I’m absolutely honoured to have been partnered with Mojo.
“I can still remember attending the school, giving a talk on 'a guide dog’s journey', all those years ago.
“At the time, I was working with my first guide dog Sid.
“In November 2022, I got the call to say they had a new dog they'd like me to meet - it was on the day I collected Sid’s ashes.
“Mojo came to live with me on the 5th of December and we qualified on the 17th of January this year - It seems it was all just meant to be.
“He really is a stunner. From day one, we bonded. He sleeps by the side of my bed each night and we are never without each other.
“It was after we qualified that I was told by Mojo's Puppy Raiser, that Mojo was named in memory of Grace and Rachel, known by friends and teachers as Mojo, by the school that I had attended.
“I was honoured and extremely emotional.
“Mojo really is golden - I couldn’t wish for a better guide dog.
“I’m sure the girls would be so proud of both Mojo and Grace and the amazing service they are providing.”
Mojo’s sister, Grace, has been selected for the Guide Dogs breeding programme.
As a ‘guide dog mum’, Grace lives with a volunteer Breeding Dog Holder and will have litters of life-changing guide dog pups.
Guide dog pups are born in volunteers’ homes, before coming to the charity’s National Centre near Leamington Spa at around seven weeks of age for health and temperament checks.
Annie Coley is the Charities Coordinator from Edgbaston High School (EHS) for Girls.
She said: “We’re so pleased to hear that Mojo has been partnered with his guide dog owner Dee and that Grace has been selected for the charity’s breeding programme.
“It’s even more special that Dee was the volunteer from Guide Dogs who visited our school back in 2015 and inspired our students to support the charity.
“We’re so pleased that we could commemorate our students by naming these two life-changing dogs and we wish them the best of luck in the future.”
To find out more about how you could name a guide dog puppy in memory of someone, visit guidedogs.org.uk/nameapuppy
