Friends of Ngong Road

We empower Nairobi children living in poverty to transform their lives through education and support, leading to employment.

By Leave a Comment

New Sponsor Portal Launched!

We are excited to announce the launch of the new Friends of Ngong Road Sponsor Portal: https://ngongroad.org/sponsor/

Purpose: The new portal is designed to foster a deeper understanding of Friends of Ngong Road sponsors of the children they sponsor and to form a stronger relationship between sponsors and students. The portal includes a photo gallery, school marks, child assessments, renewal information, and a link to write the sponsored child.

Future Enhancements: As this is version 1.0, sponsors can expect to see updates and improvements in the coming months. In upcoming versions we plan to include:

  • Annual student assessments are delivered electronically instead of via post
  • Donation and sponsorship payment history (an easy way to check on giving history and print receipts for tax purposes)
  • Monthly giving subscription management (ability to update credit cards, pay for multiple children, etc.)
  • Photo library and tagging system (we have a wealth of amazing photographs–too many for our current system to handle–an upgrade is needed to make these photos available to sponsors)**
  • Communication tools and tracking (a history of all written communications between sponsors and children and the ability to correspond more efficiently that supports photo/video, etc.)**

**We are currently seeking funding for these projects. If you are interested in underwriting one of these enhancements, please contact Lacey Kraft at Lacey@ngongroad.org.

Sponsors: To log in for the first time you will need to create an account. Here’s how:

  1. Start by visiting ngongroad.org/sponsor/
  2. Click “New User” under the login
  3. Enter your email address (the one you use to communicate with Friends of Ngong Road).
  4. Check your email inbox. You will receive an email with a link that allows you to create a password. Click it.
  5. Enter your new password. You will use the same email address and the password you create to log in from now on. You can reset the password at any time by clicking the “Lost Password?” link below the login form.

See the brief video demonstrating this process here.

We welcome your feedback as we continue to make the portal and your sponsorship a positive experience for you and your student(s). Please use the feedback form link at the top of your portal homepage. Or, for assistance and comments, contact the Friends of Ngong Road technology and operations team at staff@ngongroad.org or 612-568-4211.

Thank you for helping to transform lives through education!

Andy Walz
Board Member, Technology
Friends of Ngong Road

PS – if you are not a sponsor but are interested in learning more about the new portal, please contact Development Director, Lacey Kraft, at lacey@ngongroad.org or 612-568-4211. She would be happy to give you a demonstration of the portal and explain what sponsorship entails.

By Leave a Comment

First Annual Urgent Run

World Toilet Day/World Portable Sanitation Day was November 19, and to celebrate the occasion, the Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI) put on a 5k Urgent Run fun run/walk in Minneapolis that benefitted Karibu Loo! In 2015, we established Karibu Loo as our portable sanitation business in Nairobi. Our mission was clear: to provide income to the non-profit, create job opportunities for graduates, and enhance sanitation in Kenya.

PSAI promotes global access to clean sanitation, aiding portable sanitation firms. It envisions a world with safe facilities for all.

Mike Switzer Urgent Run

On a cold November morning, participants held The Urgent Run at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Several Karibu Loo supporters, including Mike Switzer, the founding manager of Karibu Loo, showed up to test out their running skills in the portable sanitation competition.

Mike won the Urgent Run by breaking the finish line made appropriately of toilet paper. Mike was presented with a medal and Karibu Loo was presented with a check for just under $4,000.

PSAI has been a supportive partner, resource, and cheerleader as we continue working to make Karibu Loo a success in Kenya. In August 2018, PSAI members aimed to bolster support, meet Nairobi’s Karibu Loo, its staff, students, and Kenya’s wildlife.

Thank you, PSAI, for all of your support!

By 1 Comment

Meyer Wins the “Friend of the Community” African Award

African Award

We are proud to announce that this year’s Mshale “Friend of the Community” African Award winner is our founder and president, Paula Meyer. Thank you to everyone who texted to vote and to the African Awards community! It is well deserved for the work Paula has done to give over 500 children the opportunity to transform their lives through education.

African Awards, were launched in 2008, and presented annually by Mshale newspaper. Founded in 1996 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mshale Newspaper prides itself as the voice of the African immigrant community in the Midwest and around the United States.

Award Nomination Narrative (Used to “Pitch” for the Award)
Paula Meyer is a leader people follow enthusiastically and unquestioningly while considering themselves lucky to be in her orbit. In 2007 Meyer founded Friends of Ngong Road (FONR) with the mission to provide education and support to children living in poverty in Kenya so they can transform their lives. Meyer retired early from her successful corporate career, dedicated the next chapter of her life’s work to helping children in Kenya, and has not looked back. Today over 500 Kenyan children have had the chance at an education they otherwise would not.

Meyer advocates for social justice and has impeccable integrity. She is extraordinarily compassionate with one of the most remarkable and infectious, big laughs. One of the first women to serve as finance chair of a major U.S. Senate campaign, Meyer earned her M.B.A. from Wharton Business School. She rose to senior positions at Ameriprise and now serves on corporate boards in the financial sector. She is a passionate advocate for Kenyan children and families, promoting humility, egalitarianism, and transforming lives through a program’s impact.

Meyer’s unique contribution is that she brings her business acumen to problem-solving, a determination to use metrics and evidence to guide decision-making, and a drive to work toward worthwhile and achievable goals. Under her leadership, educational milestones are monitored to best support student success toward employment:

  • 8th-grade exam: for the past eight years, Friends of Ngong Road students have outperformed their Kenyan peers, granting them admission to higher-quality high schools.
  • High school transition: Friends of Ngong Road students transition at rates higher than 92 percent versus 63 percent in Kenya at large.
  • High school graduation: more than 95 percent of Friends of Ngong Road students successfully graduate.
  • Employment: 91 percent of Friends of Ngong Road post-secondary graduates have jobs or internships that may lead to employment.

In 2017, a new alumni caseworker was hired to support Meyer’s immediate goal for 75% of graduates to be gainfully employed by 2018. Her exceptional integrity, vision, positivity, and charisma are the magic glue that has built FoNR and will continue to support the Kenyan community FoNR supports.

Meyer has helped teach people to fish rather than giving them fish, enabling them to be agents of transformation in their communities. The wrap-around services and deep emotional connections among board members, sponsors, caseworkers, graduates, and students creates extraordinary success. Winning this award would enable Meyer and FONR to not just sustain the work and help start bringing it to scale, but demonstrate to others that we have the collective capacity to solve the most intractable worldwide problems. The children of Kenya in the program radiate the most capacious hope. What a gift to the world in these troubled times.

By Leave a Comment

FONR is in the 2017 MINN Summit

Friends of Ngong Road is proud to be involved in the 2017 MINN Summit as a marketplace host! Organized by the Minnesota International NGO Network (MINN), this full-day conference offers a wide-range of theme-based discussions, networking and wellness activities, and a music and dance performance. You can check out the full schedule here.

This year, attendees will gain access to an exciting new lineup of activities, including morning and afternoon breakout sessions and lots of opportunities for networking and celebrating in between. The event kicks off with a keynote session featuring Ben Powell, Founder and CEO of Agora Partnerships, and Rajiv Khanna, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at Thousand Currents. Friends of Ngong Road will be participating in the MINN IDEA Summit Marketplace event. We’ll have information about our programs, sponsorship and trips available along with handicrafts for purchase.

The MINN Summit is a fun and engaging experience that brings together a remarkable community of global development practitioners and learners. Since 2013, the annual event has brought together more than 850 participants, 100 speakers, and 350 unique organizations. Learn more about the event and register at https://www.minnesotangos.org/summit2017

By Leave a Comment

Letter from Nairobi- Camps and US Trip

Dear Friends of Ngong Road,

We are so very busy here in Ngong Road! We had camps this year and a medical case for one of our students.

Camp 2017
In August we held successful Leadership, Grammar, and Senior Camps at Naromoru Girls School in Nyeri County over 13 days. This took place between 12th August and 24th August 2017. There was also a one-day camp in Nairobi for little kids on 25th August 2017. After Leadership Camp where 32 of our older students learned how to run the camp, three camps based on age groupings were held. Altogether 275 kids went camping, 97 to Grammar camp, 157 to Senior Camp, and 21 to Little Kids Camp.

The students enjoyed all sorts of activities ranging from team spirit-building, team competitions, music and dance, crazy games, tournament, and our own “Olympic games”. They also enjoyed rotations that comprised Arts and crafts (tie-dyeing a shirt) and educative lessons. The highlight of the camp was a field trip to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the largest conservancy in Laikipia South. There we saw the “Big Five” (an elephant, leopard, buffalo, lion, and white and black rhinos). The students were also treated to a balanced diet of three meals a day.

Others who attended the camps were: 10 US volunteers, 5 NRCF Board members, NRCF Programme Director, 12 NRCF staff, one Kenyan sponsor (Chris Adams) accompanied by Emmanuel Gatimu (NRCF Founding Board member), 12 Post-Secondary students and 3 Karibu Loo staff.

There was a serious medical case of Bernard Ouma who was run over by a bus breaking his left leg femur and dislocating the right ankle. He was taken to Nanyuki Cottage hospital for surgery and was discharged after a week. He is recuperating and the doctors have assured us that he will recover fast owing to his age (19 years old).

We are grateful to all sponsors and well-wishers who donated towards this year’s camp and whose efforts enabled us to put smiles on the children’s faces and build a great NRCF family bond. Thumbs up to Tile and Carpet Centre here in Nairobi for donating most of the dry food used during camp.

Upcoming Trip to the USA
I am excited about my trip to the US which will give me an opportunity of meeting our treasured sponsors and donors. The trip commences with my departure from Nairobi on 27th October 2017. While in the US, I plan to attend the Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI) Conference from 1st to 4th November 2017 in Minneapolis. The knowledge that I will gather from the conference will empower me with the skills of running Karibu Loo in a more effective and efficient manner.

After that my schedule includes several small group gatherings with individuals, businesses, and churches that support the program. It also includes participating in the Annual Gathering held at Surly in Minneapolis on 13th November. I am looking forward to a series of training programs including SalesForce training, Google training, and training titled Leading with a Theory of Change. I will be working with members of the FONR staff and board to finalize the NRCF 5-year Strategic Plan, and to present the 2018 NRCF Plan. I have been invited to attend the SMME Rotary Club Meeting and to visit Tulane University in New Orleans to make a presentation in a sustainable development class. Before I return to Nairobi, I will also spend a week with my friends and relatives in New York City. I will return to Kenya on 24th November 2017.

I am humbled by the responsibility bestowed upon me to manage Karibu Loo Limited as an additional responsibility. My team and I are equal to the task and are eager to steer that business to greater heights of achievement.

Thank you for supporting Ngong Road Children’s Foundation through Friends of Ngong Road. I look forward to meeting many of you soon.

Maureen Mulievi
Executive Director, Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, and
Acting General Manager, Karibu Loo