This fall we were thrilled to welcome Joy Obiya and George Odhiambo to the US as representatives of the staff and students in the program in Kenya.

Joy Obiya
Joy is the head of the post-secondary department and has been a caseworker with us for four years. It was wonderful for Joy to be able to meet with so many sponsors and donors, as well as spend time with our US-based staff especially since we have a growing number of students entering and completing post-secondary. Joy was able to give us a better understanding of the post-secondary environment in Kenya, and was able to help sponsors understand what to expect when their students graduate from High School. In addition to being the head of the post-secondary department, Joy has also taken on the responsibility of running the sexual and reproductive health program, and has helped to develop each individual student’s plan for success following their high school graduation.

George Odhiambo
George is unique in many ways, but most especially to us because he is a beneficiary of the program in addition to being a caseworker with our program. After joining the program in 2007, George went on to successfully earn his diploma in Community Development at Kenyatta University. This diploma and his history made him a great fit as a primary caseworker in our program. George has an excellent ability to connect with the youngest students and help them feel supported. Having him her

e in the U.S. gave sponsors and donors a unique perspective into the life of a student in the program and we all heard and saw first hand how the experience can change a student’s life for the better.

A Busy Schedule
During their time in the US, George and Joy traveled throughout Minnesota, Iowa, Texas and the east coast meeting with sponsors and donors as well as giving presentations to churches, school teachers, friends and family, and of course at our Annual Gathering. They were also able to meet individually with some sponsors and donors and give unique insight regarding the students they sponsor. In addition to these meetings, George and Joy were able to experience a small part of what it’s like to live in the midwest –they attended a fall festival/corn maze, went shopping at the Mall of America, and tried lots of new foods. In addition, they had lots of opportunities for professional development both with our U.S. staff and board members and by meeting with other professional groups and individuals to gain insight and experience.

Building Connections, First Experiences
As some of you know, the trip from Nairobi to Minnesota is a long one, and we are thrilled that George and Joy were able to take advantage of this opportunity to grow as caseworkers, and to help our organization grow and foster new connections. This was George’s first time on a plane, and first trip out of Kenya, and Joy’s first trip out of Africa. For those of you who met with George and Joy during their time here, thank you for spending time with them and for allowing them to share their perspectives with you.

We are thrilled to announce this year’s Annual Gathering, with the theme of ‘Live, Love, Learn’.

Please join us on Thursday, October 25th from 6-8pm as we gather to connect, browse Kenyan handicrafts, hear about the successes of our students in the past year, and meet staff and volunteers.

Come and enjoy a craft beer at Surly Brewing Co. with other supporters of our organization. Bring a friend or two, and we will see you there!

Surly Brewing Co. Scheid Hall, 520 Malcom Avenue SE, Mpls., MN 55414.

Program at 6:30 PM. 

By Susan Plimpton

Michon Garrett, Director of FoNR Operations, and I traveled to Kenya this past May to spend 10 days with the staff of our Kenyan sister organization, the Ngong Road Children Association.  Our primary purpose in going was to meet with the caseworkers for the post secondary students, those young people who had finished secondary school and were now enrolled in the Post Secondary Program to provide the skills, additional education and training to qualify them for employment.  There currently are 83 young people enrolled and most are in one or two year programs from which they will receive a Certificate or Diploma upon completion. The fields our students enter are varied and range from automobile mechanics to hotel management to accounting to barista worker. We are very proud of the 93% success rate we are achieving in placing our alumni in internships or full time jobs.

Our objectives were to ensure we fully understood how the program was operating, to provide additional training on using the software we provide to track our students’ progress, and to understand some of the challenges our Kenyan team have in helping students select and complete the right program for themselves.  We also met with every recent secondary school graduate to hear their plans for further education and to discuss with the staff if that was the best next step for that student.

In addition, we attended a Ngong Road Children Association Board meeting, participated in the Saturday recreation program for all students, met with our and other sponsors’ children, and interviewed some of our employed alumni.  All in all it was a very worthwhile and inspiring visit.