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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Two Remarkable Young People: Siblings Lorine and Emmanuel

By Susan Plimpton

Almost 15 years ago, we accepted the sponsorship of Lorine, at that time a young girl of about 10 years of age.  When I met her, she had a big smile on her face but found me a bit intimidating and looked down at the ground when I shook her hand.  Her father had died recently from AIDS and her mother, also positive, was weakened by an illness.  Lorine was helping with cooking and washing while also going to school.  Even then her mother knew that a good education was the only possible way to give Lorine a chance at a better life and thus applied for sponsorship in the Ngong Road program. Over the years, Lorine gradually became more self-confident. We loved communication through email and had fun times shopping when I was in Nairobi. Several years after “adopting” Lorine I learned that her brother, Emmanuel, was also available for sponsorship and we agreed to take him on as well. Emmanuel was a little more reserved but very motivated academically in primary school which enabled him to enter a competitive secondary school. 

Both Lorine and Emmanuel were accepted by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology for a two-year certificate program after they completed secondary school, Lorine in Business Studies and Emmanuel in Business Information Technology. Upon completing the program, Lorine self-financed herself to go on for a 4 year Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies and now works in a financial position at British East African Tobacco Company in Nairobi.


Emmanuel is an IT intern at the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, one of the first “TechMates”. He is so proficient in information technology and cyber security that he has a second internship at Lido Nation as an Intern/Junior Developer.  Emmanuel has also been invited by the Swiss non-profit organization, United People Global, to participate in a week-long leadership and sustainability program this summer at Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership in Rockland, Maine. He is hoping to obtain his U.S. visa to attend.

 My husband David and I visited Lorine and Emmanuel pre-pandemic and were so impressed and proud of the young adults they have become.  Both have matured into self-confident and poised individuals who have every intention of contributing to the development of their country. They truly are examples of the transformation that can be achieved by the children sponsored by Friends of Ngong Road at the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation.

 Lorine says . . .

My experience of being a beneficiary of the NRCF program has been educational, adventurous, and amazing. From the yearly camps to the overflow of support from my sponsor and the organization. NRCF has been very instrumental in shaping the woman that I have become through the Life Skills training, educational support since the beginning of my O level (grade school) to the end of my A level (high school), and also the feeding program that helped my mind be at ease over when the next meal would come. I look forward to running my own business and sponsoring a child. Again I say thank you to the organization for the opportunity.

Warm regards,

Lorine

Emmanuel says… 

My experience at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation is one where I can use two words to describe it: “grateful and thankful”. I enrolled in the program in 2010 at age eleven years. My academic journey hasn’t been a smooth one. In fact, I could describe it as surfing through strong ocean waves, but NRCF was always there to help me surf the tides.

How the program has positively impacted my life

The program gave me a scholarship from primary school to university for my education. NRCF also provided Life Skills training and other support programs. I am currently interning as an ICT intern in the program as a TechMate. This internship has greatly empowered me economically and upscaled my technical skills on matters concerning information technology.

What does my future look like? 

I could describe my future from the lenses of an optimist. One that is promising and demanding as well. I view myself growing even better. This could be by adding more academic qualifications to my portfolio and having reliable years of experience in the business information, technology arena. Demanding in the aspect that all the achievements I want to make will require me to push myself beyond ordinary limits. I do believe that this far I have proven that I am capable of being and doing better and the rate at which I am growing is intensifying rather than slowing.

Thank you all,

Emmanuel

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Waiting Students

Fenny

Fenny, an ever-smiling young girl is a 5th-grade student who lives with her mother and two siblings. They live in a double room made of iron sheets and timber, sharing the bathroom and toilet with the neighbors as the house is not self-contained. Her mother is a hairdresser and works at a local hair salon but because she is the sole provider, the income that she gets is never enough to sustain the family.

Fenny’s mother says she is a very hardworking girl and that is evident in her academics as she scored a total of 602 marks out of 700 in her placement interview. She loves going to school and according to her, it is her favorite place to be. She loves reading different storybooks and she aspires to join the army after she is done with her studies. 

The thought of getting a sponsor in the program really excites Fenny as she wants to be able to pursue her educational dreams.  

Ryan 

Ryan is 12 years old. With his mother and sister, he lives in a two-room brick house. Their home isn’t self-contained, so they must share the bathroom and toilet with their neighbors. His mother is a community health worker who loves to empower women living with HIV/AIDS to lead healthy lives. She also works casual jobs such as housecleaning to support her family as a single mother. 

He is smart and hard-working.  After putting in a lot of effort, Ryan achieved 355 marks on a recent exam. English is his favorite subject, and he hopes to become a doctor one day so that he can help other people with health issues. Additionally, he enjoys participating in extracurricular activities. Whenever he has free time, he loves to play soccer with friends.

Ryan would be able to pursue his career and educational goals with the help of sponsorship. He is determined to make a difference in society and inspire other young children. 

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Alumni Update

In 2021, 25 students in our program graduated from college. Since graduation, 78% of these alumni have found employment while one returned to school to further her education. This success has been possible due to the enormous support from our partners and sponsors who have walked with these graduates on their journey through life transformation. We would like to highlight 3 graduates who are celebrating the fruits of their hard work and the investment in their support. 

Noah Ngugi – Make-up Artist at M.A.C Store

Noah joined the program in October 2007. As a child, his family’s ability to pay for education was an incredible challenge.  Friends of Ngong Road provided a bridge for him to pursue his dreams. He has now completed his education and is incredibly proud of having a degree, a career, and the ability to support himself.

Noah studied at Uhuru Boys Secondary School and graduated in 2017. He later joined Lintons College to pursue a Diploma in Make-up Artistry and Nail Technology. He graduated in November 2021.  

Currently, he is working at M.A.C cosmetics store as a cosmetologist. Noah is also an active leader at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation as a Youth Peer Provider (YPP) for the sexual Reproductive Health Program.

Wence Njiri- The Social Worker/ Case Manager

As a child with little hopes and dreams for his future, life was challenging. Although his parents did their best to provide for the family, they struggled financially. The world and prospects changed for Wence when he joined our program in October 2009.

He was so happy when he learned he was sponsored.  He received a lot of love from the caseworkers and the other students in the program; he met many new friends.  He also had  access to consistent support, education and food. During his time in school and participating in the supportive programming, Wence was able to discover himself and harness his skills to prepare for success. Wence became a leader in the program as a Young Peer Provider (Ypp) for the sexual Reproductive Health Program at NRCF.

Wence is a graduate of Kabete National Polytechnic with a diploma in Social Work and Community Development. He currently interns at NRCF in the Primary department with prospects of being hired full time in the future. There is a saying that we only need one thread to weave our story and for him, Ngong road Children’s Foundation was that thread.

Eric Njuguna- Supply Chain Management Graduate

Eric is the youngest of three siblings. In October 2002 his mother passed away due to illness, and, at such a young age, this loss crushed him and he felt like his life was entangled in darkness. Eric and his siblings moved in with their grandma who enrolled him in school.  Although he was relieved and excited to be in school, it came with a lot of challenges. His grandma was older and had diabetes, so she couldn’t work enough to keep up with the rising school fees. 

Life started looking up when his grandma was told about the sponsorship program by a friend. After meeting the rigorous selection requirements Eric and his brother were both sponsored. All aspects of their lives were taken care of, including health, education, and nutrition. He graduated from college with a diploma in Supply Chain Management and is currently applying for jobs.

Nelson Mandela, the first black African President of South Africa once said that ‘Education is the great engine of personal development.’ Eric is forever grateful to Friends of Ngong Road for providing him with the education and support he needed to transform his life.

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Alumni Stories

Lydia is a Call Center Attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited and is Looking Ahead to Graduate School

A Chinese proverb states “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step”. This is the story of Lydia, born in the sprawling slums of Kawangware where she could not imagine that she would be a college graduate.

Lydia’s journey has not been easy. In her early years, as far she can remember, her father left the family leaving them stunned and hurt. Being the sole breadwinner, his departure affected the already financially struggling family. Her mother was not able to care for Lydia and her small brother. They barely survived with only one meal a day, if they were lucky. Lydia woke up every morning and went to a community primary public school with no hope of joining a secondary school. Life was unfair and each day things seemed to be deteriorating. She never dreamt of having the life she lives now.

Thanks to Friends of Ngong Road and Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, she was paired with a sponsor who was instrumental in her success. Her school fees were fully paid from primary school through university, including necessary school supplies. This generous support made her work even harder to achieve good grades. 

At 23 years old she prides herself not just for having attained a BS in Economics and Finance but also for being among the few girls in her neighborhood that have transformed their life in this way. Her transformational journey has just started as Lydia now works as a call center attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited, a fiber optic company. Her future aspirations include earning a master’s degree so she can pursue better job opportunities.

Bernard is an Operations Associate at Karibu Loo Limited

Bernard is one of our graduates who currently works at Karibu Loo Limited as an Operations Associate, after completing a driving course. He is grateful for how far he has come and is now on the right path to transforming his life. His story is that of persistence and demonstrating a spirit of not giving up. 

He was raised by his aunt, since his mother was in poor health, which made it impossible for her to be involved in his upbringing. Unlike many children, he had a lot of challenges which caused him to enroll in school at an older age than is normal. He and eight of his family members lived in a single-room home, where it was impossible to get any privacy, something that he treasured. Every time he went back to boarding school he had a sense of relief. 

His family situation affected his academics and like most teens, he had his own challenges. But he never gave up and finished high school with the support from his sponsor and program staff. He was even elected school president while in high school. Bernard says, “Learning to have that persistence, letting my ego down a bit, and asking for help is what has made me come this far. Thanks to everyone who helped me through school.”

Brian is a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited

Brian is one of our recent graduates whose life has been transformed by the support he received from our program. His story is one that will be told for generations to come in his family. Despite all the odds in life, Brian has been able to use his experience as a stepping stone to climb the ladder. His mother died after separating from his father which left him and his siblings no option but to stay with their grandparents. He recognized early on that he needed to take school seriously if he was to ever get out of the deplorable living situations he found himself in and help his aging grandparents.

While he was sponsored,​ he gained various skills that helped him develop as a whole person. The life skills learned during school holidays and at camp encourage him to pursue leadership roles in both secondary and post-secondary school. The computer skills he developed through our program have been essential in his journey to acquiring a job. He completed his diploma in Entrepreneurship Development from The Eldoret Polytechnic and currently works as a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited. Even though he’s only been there for a month, he’s already able to understand key marketing tips and handle queries from clients. 

He knows his life was changed for the better because of his education and he is not only full of gratitude but wants to support someone through their education in the future. Brian shared, “Success favors those who fail till they succeed and never let challenges be a stumbling block rather let them be opportunities for growth.”

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A Nurse Named Mercy

It is the dream of every young girl to be independent and beat all odds to become a successful woman in Kenya. This is the case for our sponsored girls who have the opportunity to transform their lives which is a stepping stone for becoming self-reliant and independent.  Mercy is one just girl and has become our first nurse graduate.

Mercy joined the NRCF program in 2007 after both of her parents died of HIV/AIDS. She stayed with her aunt at Satellite (a Nairobi slum) where they lived in a two-roomed house with her sister, brother, and three cousins. She enrolled at G.S.U primary school in grade 3 where she performed well in the final KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) exam and joined Mirithu Girls High school.

While in high school, she was focused, neat, and disciplined with an independent mind. She performed well in science subjects which was important as she has had a passion for nursing as a future career so she could help the sick and poor in the slums. She took the final KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) exam and passed. 

Following her dreams, she applied to a Nursing program and secured a vacancy at Clive Irvine College of Nursing at Chogoria to study for a Diploma in Nursing. She was determined in her studies.  She was slated to graduate in 2020 but due to Covid-19, her graduation was pushed to June 2021.

She recently started an internship at Melkzedek Hospital to gain more experience.  She is a role model to other young women in the program. She has managed to transform her life with the help of NRCF and her dedicated sponsor. She is attached to the outpatient department where her main role is a triage nurse, Administering drugs and injections, admissions for emergencies. We hope that she will be able to secure permanent employment upon completion of the internship which takes 6 months.