Friends of Ngong Road

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

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June 22, 2022 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Waiting Students

Michael

One charming thing that you notice about Michael when you meet him for the first time is his warm and big smile. He has the warmest and most innocent smile a boy his age could possibly have. Michael is 10 years old and is the first born in his family with one younger brother. He stays with both his parents in the Mutego area in Kabiria. His mother does casual jobs while his father works as a carpenter.

Michael is very intelligent, which can be seen from his academic performance to how he speaks and conducts himself. He scored a strong 618 mark out of 700 during his entrance exams. This is way above good performance, it is excellent. He hopes to pursue mechanical engineering in a higher learning institution after completing his Form 4 (senior year of high school)  studies.  He is not just an intelligent boy, he is a fun person to be with. He loves reading books and playing soccer with his friends. He already knows how to balance school and leisure time. 

When Michael is connected with a  sponsor, he will join Ngando Preparatory School and begin his transformational journey. The thought of having a sponsor really excites Michael and he cannot wait to be part of the program.

Esther

Esther is a grade two young girl with a wide smile and an ever-happy face, and that is exactly what you get when you get to interact with her. She lives with her aunt and her cousin at satellite area and their standard of living is not so good. Her aunt is a casual worker who does odd jobs like laundry for other people in order to get some money to sustain the family. The little she gets is never enough to cater to their needs.

Despite her being constantly sent out of school due to accumulated fee arrears, she is evidently a bright student. During the selection interview, she scored 618 out of 700 marks which are above average performance and this performance set her apart from other interviewees. Esther has a dream of becoming a nurse just like her cousin from whom she draws inspiration from. However, she is pessimistic about it because of the family’s financial situation and her absence from school every time she is sent home.

Esther’s only hope of being optimistic about becoming a nurse will only be actualized when she is able to get a sponsor. She will go through school, be able to pursue her career, and support her family at the end of it all. 

June 22, 2022 By Naomi Miezwa Leave a Comment

We Need More Sponsors!

So many waiting students, and not enough sponsors. 

Sponsors have an incredible impact on our students and are the foundation of our program.  Having a sponsor is a life-supporting opportunity for our students.  However, we don’t have enough sponsors! We now have over 200 students on the waiting list, each hoping for a sponsor.   

Build our sponsorship community.

Our goal is to double the number of students we support in the next 5 years. This means we need to find new sponsors to support our students. Our goal is to find 70 new sponsors this year.  Do you know someone who wants to change a child’s life?

We can use your help!

  • If you are a sponsor, share your experience with others and consider sponsoring an additional student.
  • If you are not a sponsor, become one – Become a sponsor
  • Host a gathering to raise awareness of the positive impact sponsors have by being a part of Friends of Ngong Road and to help us recruit new sponsors  

Reach out to Naomi at [email protected]  to discuss further.

June 22, 2022 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Entrepreneurship Training

The organization considers students’ lives to be fully transformed after they complete their studies and are able to secure employment, either as employees or if they decide to venture into self-employment. For this reason, the Entrepreneurship Training Program was started. This program is intended to equip the graduates with the much-needed information in regards to becoming an entrepreneur or small business owner and to connect them with potential investors who could possibly fund their business ideas. 

The training is being conducted by Garden of Hope Foundation, a non-government organization that works with youths and women to offer various training programs, entrepreneurship programs being one of them. Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF) has 11 graduates attending this program. This training is funded by a grant from the Arrow Foundation.

Including both theoretical content and fieldwork, the program participants are expected to go out and gather information when needed. The training takes place three times a week from morning to midday. Breakfast, lunch, and transport are provided to the participants during the training. This is done to ensure that they attend all training sessions.

Each participant developed an initial business pitch so that the program instructors have an idea of the businesses that the trainees have in mind.  Some of the business ideas that were pitched include water refilling, making products from leather, IT-related business, tent hiring for events, content creation, and digital marketing, among others. The program runs through the 22nd of July, During the training, the trainees will be learning the different dynamics of entrepreneurship as well as implementation. After the training program, they will be able to pitch their final business ideas. The best four trainees with top business pitches will get a financial reward from NRCF and the Garden of Hope Foundation.

NRCF is optimistic that the trainees will successfully complete the training and graduate. And, that they will have gained the necessary skills and knowledge to become entrepreneurs and/or start their own business. This will be a big step towards them completely transforming their lives and being able to support themselves.

June 21, 2022 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Elimu Hub is open!

Elimu Hub opened on May 18! 

“Elimu” means “education” in Swahili, and Elimu Hub is the center of learning activities, resources, and the community. Elimu Hub is on the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation campus, adjacent to the administrative building of our offices in Nairobi. It is surrounded by a secure wall that embraces students with a sense of protection and safety in an unstable and sometimes dangerous neighborhood. Elimu Hub houses our upgraded computer lab and expanded library.

The library is an important resource center for our students as most of them are in school. Besides the books we have acquired through the years, Braeburn School donated more books that will be beneficial to our students. With this gift, we now have more books for our growing community. All this will help us to ensure that our students achieve their academic goals.

The computer lab will be helpful for our students as a tool in their education. Primary-age students from Nelson Mandela Academy take computer classes at the computer lab during the week.  Students from other primary schools take classes on Saturdays before they attend the Saturday Program.  Recent High School graduates will take their Computer classes at the computer lab taught by Belmont College. At the end of the course, they are issued a certificate that makes them marketable in the job market.

We have never before had a purpose-built structure. The new Elimu Hub was built using recycled 20-foot shipping containers, three up and three on the main level. They have been transformed into a fun, and useful building. Its completion was highly anticipated knowing its launch would bring about positive changes for our students and staff. 

Our launch ceremony had representatives from the organizations who made Elimu Hub possible. Representatives from the Rotary Club of Kikuyu, Braeburn School, and Container 254 attended. Though not present, the Rotary Club of South Minneapolis Evenings and Friends of Ngong Road were recognized. The event consisted of performances from our students who presented poems and dances. We even had a taekwondo performance. 

Kelvin Thuku, our program manager, appreciated the growth of Elimu Hub, from the idea to the implementation stage and finally its unveiling. He regards it as one of the biggest achievements of the organization. He also thanked the partners for their support during the whole process of construction and completion of the project. The president of the Rotary Club of Kikuyu, Ann Ichung’wa, officially launched the Elimu Hub making it ready for use by our students.

We extend our utmost gratitude to our partner organizations and all of you that contributed to our Elimu Hub campaign This project would never have happened without your support. Thank you for helping us in the process of transforming the lives of our students.   

March 24, 2022 By Michon Garrett Leave a Comment

Parent/Guardian Involvement

Parents/guardians play an important role in the transformation of a student. It is our policy that each student has a supportive parent/guardian during the child’s enrollment in the organization.

During the student selection period, the parent/guardian must fulfill several requirements. In general, they have to ensure that they provide basic needs for the children. They sign a contract agreeing to play their part in the child’s life and to support the organization in any way possible for the child’s success. The contract is refreshed with the parent/guardian at each level of the student’s education.

Every week, the organization holds a Saturday Program where we meet with the students and engage them in group activities. The parents/guardians must ensure that the students attend and participate. 

The parents/guardians also provide the organization with periodic assessment information to assess the child’s progress both at home and at school. This is a way of providing feedback to the organization on how to best support the student.

We hold an Annual General Meeting and the parents/guardians are expected to attend. They receive updates on the program, review their commitment to their child’s education, and are asked for their support in identifying prospective students for the program. It is usually held at the end of the year and they receive Christmas packages of food aid for their families.  

We highly appreciate all our parents/guardians for their continued effort in helping us achieve our students’ success. Their involvement contributes to the success of the students through the web of supportive adults in their lives – parents/guardians, case managers, teachers, and sponsors.

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

 

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