Friends of Ngong Road

Providing education and support to Nairobi children living in poverty whose families are affected by HIV/AIDS.

  • About
    • Our Children
    • Board of Directors
    • Kenya Staff
    • US Staff
    • Financials and Tax
    • Karibu Loo
  • Program
    • Admission Criteria
    • Education and Development
    • Safety and Well-Being
    • Supportive Community
    • Our Impact
  • Get Involved
    • Sponsor a Child
    • Events
      • Art Sale – Closed
      • 2020 Annual Gathering
    • Volunteer
      • Spread the Word
      • Ambassador Program
    • Visit Us in Nairobi
  • News
    • COVID-19 Updates
  • Donate
  • Sponsor
  • Sign In

November 4, 2020 By Steve Kotvis Leave a Comment

The Sponsor/Student Portal Experience

Since its inception, Friends of Ngong Road has operated with the principle of establishing one-on-one relationships between sponsors and students. Up to this point, relationships were created largely by encouraging communications, namely exchanges of letters and materials sent through the mail or hand-carried between the U.S and Kenya. This past year, the organization enhanced the ability for sponsors and students to become connected through establishing the Sponsor/Student Portal. 

While still a new tool for many to yet explore, the possibilities of how the Sponsor/Student Portal may be used still seem limitless. And especially in this time of Covid-19 imposed realities — where distance learning, social isolation, and many of us are learning to embrace technology to connect (who hasn’t joined a Zoom call?) — we thought it was a good idea to have a conversation with a sponsor and student who have pioneered its use. 

That led us to a Zoom conversation with FONR sponsor Jeri Pearcy who (along with her husband Jeff live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) sponsor their student Perpetual in Nairobi. 

Our conversation (available in its entirety here on Illumini Podcast) resulted in a wonderful conversation, starting with how they first met in 2008 and continuing with how they have shared letters through the mail over the years. Today, both Perceptual and Jeri are coping with the pandemic. A wonderful insight was revealed, learning that they both generally shared the same attitude about living amidst the new realities of living with Covid-19, regardless of how different their living conditions. 

Conversation about the use of the Sponsor/Student Portal revealed how both Perpetual and Jeri were testing the waters with the technology, but at this point found it easy and convenient to use. They appreciated confirming the quickness of sending and receiving emails, but also are interested in sharing more photos, news articles and school assignments. Jeri is a retired nurse practitioner and teacher, and Perpetual is focused on post secondary education as a systems and business analyst.  

The discussion included ways both Jeri as a sponsor and Perpetual as a sponsored student have benefited from their connections thanks to Friends of Ngong Road.   The energy between the connection is hard to express in written form, but in conducting this Zoom session, the loving energy was virtually palatable. We hope you enjoy listening in!

April 14, 2020 By Steve Kotvis Leave a Comment

New COVID-19 Updates Page

Dear friends,

This week we are launching the “COVID-19 Updates” page on the Friends of Ngong Road website. So much is rapidly changing. Practically every moment we are trying to understand this pandemic from our own perspective and experiences and from the perspectives and experiences of others. We are adjusting to this new reality, and we are doing so together as a global community, with the realization that many of our human responses are shared.

We created “COVID-19 Updates” with the purpose of strengthening our connections. Our aim is to keep one another connected by providing updates on the well-being of our children and their families in Nairobi, as well as connecting fellow sponsors and supporters from around the globe. Here you will find timely and relevant updates on physical, emotional, nutritional, and financial issues. We will let you know what the organizations’ actions, plans and priorities are, as well as ways you can help. And, as in all communities, it’s about supporting one another. 

For the past couple weeks we’ve shared what our priorities are today; ensuring our children and their families are adequately nourished. We started by diverting resources and asking for help in supporting the Food from Friends campaign. 

We hope this page becomes the place where you can return to for continued connection, to read weekly updates, to hear, watch and read personal stories coming from Nairobi, and to discover ways you can help and be connected through the months ahead. Please visit www.ngongroad.org and click on the “COVID-19 Updates” button right in the middle of the home page. 

Having visited the program and children in Nairobi four times since 2012 as a photographer, videographer and podcaster, I have learned that we each live what we believe to be our own “normal” lives, and that some of those normals are as different as night and day. But, the lesson today’s pandemic may teach us all is we all are living a “new normal.” And wouldn’t it be wonderful if that included us being just a bit more connected, regardless of where we’re living.

Steve Kotvis
Volunteer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Site Search

Friends of Ngong Road
PO Box 581308
Minneapolis, MN 55458
(612) 568-4211 | [email protected]

 

 Subscribe
Meet Alpha Baraka
Alpha BarakaAge 10 years
Learn More
  • Home
  • Contact US
  • Acknowledgements
  • Privacy Policy
  • NRCA Home
© 2021 · Friends of Ngong Road, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit