Thanks to our generous donors we met the 2018 Truscott Family Match of $65,000 and more! Thank you to everyone who donated generously to provide important programming for students to transform their lives through education in Kenya. The Friends of Ngong Road Annual Appeal funds elements of our program that sponsorship does not. This includes nutrition support, healthcare, Saturday Program, caseworker support, the library, the computer lab, and more.

The 2018 annual appeal success of just under $160,000 raised could cover the cost of 6,400 meals for families who are particularly needy, 200 new computers for the computer lab, or the gap for 320 students who attend boarding school but their sponsors are only able to provide tuition support.

A very special thank you to Ted and Kathy Truscott for making this important appeal possible. From the children, their families, and Friends of Ngong Road, “Asante Sana.” Thank you very much.

Do you remember how you learned about Friends of Ngong Road? Chances are, you knew someone who was involved as a donor, sponsor, or volunteer. They told you about the difference the organization was making for children in Kenya for a relatively small investment. You signed up for our newsletter, came to an event, gave a donation, sponsored a student, or started following us on social media because you believe in the mission and trust your friend or family member. Friends and family networks are the most common path for people getting involved at Friends of Ngong Road.

We are now formalizing that friends and family method with the introduction of our new Ambassador Program as a strategy for growth. Ambassadors are people who know and love Friends of Ngong Road, agree to learn more about it through ongoing learning opportunities and commit to recruiting two sponsors and raising $2,000 each year for two years. They can be of any age, background, and experience with the organization. Ambassadors are passionate about their mission, aims to change a child’s life for a small daily investment of around $2.. They believe the opportunity to change a child’s life is too important to not be spread.

A shout-out to the first four Ambassadors who started volunteering with the organization last month. They are high-energy, dedicated leaders paving the way for this program and creating more opportunities for students to join the program and transform their own lives. We thank you!

If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please contact Lacey Kraft at lacey@ngongroad.org or 612-568-4211.

As we begin 2019, I believe that Friends of Ngong Road and our sister organization in Nairobi are turning a corner in three ways:  

1. The program is delivering results in young lives transformed by education and employment;
2. Ngong Road Children’s Foundation in Nairobi is a dramatically more mature, effective organization than it has ever been; and
3. Friends of Ngong Road are poised to move to the next level.

We began working with the first group of children in Nairobi’s Dagoretti slums in late 2006 – twelve years ago.  That first group of sixty children is now young adults. Among the early classes of students who have successfully navigated the entire program, including Primary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary schooling. 93% today have jobs or are in internships we believe will lead to employment.  In the 2012 NRCF Plan, we dramatically strengthened our criteria for admission to the program.

We expect as these later classes of students complete their education, more and more will be eligible for government scholarships in post-secondary colleges and universities. And, we have built programs designed to bolster success through Sexual & Reproductive Health training and Life Skills training.  We are optimistic that the formula we have created will continue to work. Explore the jobs our graduates have secured through the information provided on the poster below.

In 2016, the Kenyan Executive Director’s embezzlement roiled the organization in Nairobi. We have successfully remade our Kenyan operations by outsourcing financial management to a professional firm, recruiting a very competent Kenyan board of directors to provide local oversight, and strengthening Friends of Ngong Road’s role in financial oversight and control.  Our leaders in Kenya, including the board and the new Program Director, are creating a professional, well-run Kenyan organization.

Finally, Friends of Ngong Road completed a strategic plan that includes the replacement of my volunteer-President role with that of a new, paid Executive Director and the transition of our joint organizations to one that can support even more children in the future.  More than 550 children have been affected by this program, and while a few have moved away or gotten derailed, many have become young adults with bright futures.

We have much work to do in order to continue delivering on our mission. Above all, I am most deeply appreciative of you – our sponsors, donors and supporters who have made this work possible.

In gratitude,

Paula Meyer
Founder and President

Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF) contracted with Success Signature to facilitate the Life Skills Training Program (LSTP) made possible by a Rotary Global Grant led by the South Metro Minneapolis Evenings (SMME) Rotary Club and the Kikuyu Rotary Club of Kenya. The aim of LSTP is to develop self-awareness in both secondary and post-secondary students by training them on carefully selected and essential skills that will aid in their life success.

US volunteers Meghan and Evan Feige developed the training curriculum and tested it in Kenya in early 2017 with December 2016 Form 4 finishers (high school graduates). On November 8th, 2018, at the Lutheran Church, Ngong Road, the organization officially launched the first phase of training, which lasted three weeks.

Present were 94 students (Form 2-4, grades 10-12), NRCF and Success signature staff, parents, Rotary Club of Kikuyu members. Bus fare and meals were provided to all students to ensure they could attend.

The launch brought all the stakeholders together for the introduction to the program. NRCF staff provided the background of the LSTP and the intended benefits to the students. Students got a chance to meet the facilitators. Success Signature staff explained program: topics, timetable, expectations, rules, regulations, pre-training evaluation.

The Lutheran Church on Ngong Road is located next to NRCF offices, offering convenience and ample space with suitable facilities. The training program ran daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. All three Forms covered the following topics: communication, conflict management, critical thinking, stress management, leadership, emotional intelligence, personality type, and “Who Am I?” (personal branding), essential skills- time management, money management, study skills, and technology. Both NRCF and SS staff emphasized strict discipline for students, yielding impressive outcomes.

Students were encouraged to participate by awarding the three most valuable, active students each day. Each student was given a token of Kes. 200 (USD $2) by the facilitator. This worked miraculously well and created very healthy competition and a lot of fun. The instructors always reminded students to respect everybody’s contribution while learning.

Learning was fun for all.

At the end of each day, the facilitators would always ask students to speak out feedback based on these questions:

1. What three things did you learn today?
2. How will you apply them in your life beginning today?

Forms 2 and 3 offered written feedback by completing a simple questionnaire. We collated and consolidated all the feedback per form, and the results are good.

Quotes from the students:

• “This program has really benefited me as I have a better understanding of WHO I AM and hope it will continue to benefit more students.
• “When angry, I conflicted with anyone I came across, blaming them yet I was the problem. I have now learned to manage my emotions as well as understand other people’s emotions.”
• “I have been in conflict with my father since I did not like to be directed, after the conflict management training, I was able to approach my father and it is after a long time that we sat as a family and laughed together. I am very happy to be in a good relationship with my father”.
• “I spent a lot of time on social media and I will now use my time well and research constructive things”.

The success of the LSTP can be attributed to the development of the curriculum by Meghan and Evan, NRCF provision of bus fare and meals, adequate preparation by all the parties involved, effective teamwork, constant communication to review and ensure on-track status and passion, and commitment from all the parties.

We hope that our students are going to take full advantage of this opportunity.

A big thank you to Megan and Evan, Rotary International, FoNR, and Success Signature for making the program possible.

Asante Sana,

Maureen Mulevi
Programme Director