Friends of Ngong Road

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

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Plister: Her Mother’s Dream of Sending her to College is Coming True!

Plister, sponsored by Marti Morfitt, was one of the first students to join the program in 2007. She lived with her mother together with her five siblings. To support the family, her mother did odd jobs when she was well enough. Plister’s mother dreamed of sending her children to college, but she knew it would not be possible. She was struggling to make enough money to feed and shelter her children, let alone pay for regular school fees.

Plister age 9

Plister longed to go to school. She enjoyed spending time with friends, but her school friends advanced to new grades, while Plister remained behind.

Plister was accepted to the Friends of Ngong Road program along with two of her siblings, and life took a turn for the better for her and her family. Her mother said it was a huge relief that three of her children were being fed and educated through the program. It allowed her to provide food and clothing for her other children. It also allowed her to have hope that one day one of her children would make it to college and make a better life for their whole family. Today, Plister is on her way to making the dream possible.

Plister graduated in December 2016 from high school. Pursued a computer certificate course in post-secondary department, awaiting final grades release. Plister applied for a National Youth Service Cadet program, gaining entrepreneurial spirit and self-reliance principles. She received a six-month training program on technical, entrepreneurial, and paramilitary skills, making her more competitive in employment.

Plister is another example of a student using other skills gained through the program to make a way for herself. Our mission states that we provide children education and support “so they can transform their lives” in recognition of the fact that the program cannot do it for them.  Friends of Ngong Road can only provide tools and training. True transformation is up to the individual, and Plister is a great example of that.

Plister will return to the post-secondary program after completing her Cadet training. The future is bright for her and her family. The future is bright for many of the children in our program with an investment from people like Marti who care about kids. Great going, Plister and Marti!

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Mama Joyce

By Barbara Krinke, Friends of Ngong Road Handicraft Volunteer

We left Nairobi on a newly constructed highway on a short trip to visit Ann (known to us as Mama Joyce, mother of Friends of Ngong Road student, Joyce). Mama Joyce, a skilled artisan, crafts exquisite handicrafts purchased by FoNR and retailed across the U.S., showcasing her talent.

Our trip was an adventure and her inspiring story deserves telling. Guided by Swahili written instructions, our Nairobi driver led us to exit the highway and follow a dirt road precisely. The only approach to the dirt road was an abrupt 3-foot drop-off from the highway, causing much scraping and screeching from the underside of our car.

The long ride to Mama Joyce’s house got worse the farther we drove, increasing my trepidation for the journey back to Nairobi.

We completed a slow, uphill 5-mile drive, encountering steep hills. Finally, after navigating through twists and turns, we reached Mama Joyce’s house via a short road. She met us at the turnoff with a smile and guided us on foot to her house. There we were introduced to Mama Joyce’s two goats and many chickens. Invited into her modest home, we explored her life, family, and crafts, gaining insights into her world and experiences.

Mama Joyce happily told us how much FoNR has meant to her and her family. Her daughter, Joyce, was a student in the FoNR program beginning in 2008 and is one of FoNR’s success stories. Joyce earned her hotel and catering diploma and at age 23, is now working at a restaurant outside of Nairobi

Mama Joyce emphasized the crucial role of FoNR, which covered Joyce’s education, supplies, shoes, uniforms, food, and healthcare expenses. Speaking in Swahili, she expressed her belief that despite her lack of education, her daughter’s schooling would improve her life. Mama Joyce shared that her handicrafts support her children, including an adult blind son. She sells them to FoNR.

A current hardship for her is the severe drought that is affecting Kenya and surrounding countries. On that 90-degree day, we drove through the countryside to Mama Joyce’s house and saw the dried-up corn stalks in the fields.

During our journey, we often cleared the dusty red soil that gusts carried into our vehicle, stinging our eyes.Mama Joyce shared that due to dried grazing, she must buy food for her goats—their usual forage has depleted.The goats and chickens, which supply her family with milk and eggs, are becoming an added expense to feed.

When we inquired about assisting her, Mama Joyce expressed a desire to increase sales for her handmade crafts. She elaborated on how the Nairobi artisan markets, along with the city, impose fees that make them quite costly. Transporting her handicrafts to the city is an expense in time and money, taking her away from family and her animals.

Our drive out to her home in the country was perilous in our hired car. Mama Joyce pays for motorcycle ride to the main highway, then pay for 1-2 buses to reach city. That is a commute that I would not want to have to make after our experience on this day!

Despite the obstacles Mama Joyce faced, her determination to provide for her family and her passion for her crafts left a lasting impression on us. We were inspired by her dedication and artistic talents.

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Elisha

Elisha was born in a rural area near the coast of Kenya where life was tough but his family was close. When he was 10, his father passed away.

Elisha moved in with his uncle’s family in Nairobi, while his brother moved to a city, six hours from Nairobi with a different uncle. His uncle’s profession was marked by its uncertainty, upon which he relied to provide for his own four children as well as Elisha. There was a shortage of food, and the availability of funds for school fees was even more limited.

In 2008, case managers from the newly launched Friends of Ngong Road/Ngong Road Children’s Foundation program visited Elisha’s school. It happened to be on a rare day that he was there with paid-up fees. His teachers advocated for his acceptance into the program and shared his story. Elisha was accepted, absolutely thrived in school, found friends in the program with similar backgrounds, and benefited greatly from the ongoing support of a case manager. Elisha said he no longer “felt odd. I just fit in.”

A few years later, when Elisha’s mother passed away, he didn’t find himself isolated in handling the heart-wrenching loss. Instead, he had the continuing support of FoNR/NRCF. Today, Elisha is studying to be a civil engineer. He dreams of making Nairobi a better place that can compete globally. He is on the way to transforming his life, his family’s lives, and the whole of Kenya.

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Feiges Lead Life Skills training with Graduates

Meghan and Evan Feige have long known about Friends of Ngong Road (FoNR). They grew up with Meg Meyer, the daughter of president and founder, Paula Meyer. They saw the work of Paula and the board and heard stories of children’s lives being transformed.

Last month, the Feiges took their experience with FoNR a step further. Requesting leave from their full-time jobs at Cargill and Target, they spent some time in Nairobi working with our recent high school graduates. They created and led a variety of workshops including personality styles, mock interviews, personal brand, emotional intelligence, and more. Meghan and Evan Feige stressed the importance of personal exploration through interactive activities, case studies, reflection, and dialogues. Such skills are not usually taught in schools in Kenya, but personal awareness and critical thinking abilities are imperative to students’ post-secondary experiences and their success in future careers.

We surveyed our recent high school graduates after the experience. The majority stated that it was one of the most valuable training sessions they had ever received and enthusiastically suggested conducting workshops for future graduates.

The Feiges enjoy seeking opportunities to learn about new cultures. The couple lived in Mexico City, where Meghan worked for Cargill. They saw poverty and injustice in Mexico and have seen similar inequities in their own community. But what they saw in Kenya was different. They knew the kids. There was trust among the families, who welcomed the Feiges into their homes. The students opened their hearts to welcome and teach them. The FoNR staff helped them better understand. They left the country with hope for the future and a new perspective on life.

Their experience continues to have an impact both in the U.S. and Kenya. Evan has worked with peers at Target to donate cases of professional clothing to our recent graduates who are applying for jobs. Our board and staff are working to ensure similar training workshops happen in the future. And, our high school graduates are more prepared than ever to reach their highest potential.

Thank you, Meghan and Evan, for partnering to transform lives!

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Notes from Paula: I Can Get a Job!

I am sitting at Jomo Kenyatta Airport awaiting my flight back to the middle of the U.S., reflecting on the highlights of my past 10 days in Nairobi. I always try to reserve some time to spend with students because that is what feeds my soul so this time I spoke 1:1 with 30 students who have been in our program between 8 – 11 years. We had a total of 31 students who successfully graduated from high school in 2016; all have joined the post-secondary program.

This past month we had U.S. volunteers in Kenya named Meghan and Evan Feige. They spent two weeks and conducted training for the 2016 graduates. The first week focused on improving self-awareness: Meyers-Briggs, emotional intelligence, understanding your strengths, developing your personal brand, and communicating effectively. Having now interviewed these 2016 graduates, I can say unequivocally that this training was profoundly impactful and a real eye-opener for all of them.

In Kenya, school is designed to help students prepare for tests. Those who are most successful are humble, do what teachers say, memorize effectively, do not challenge, and therefore succeed on exams. People who are innovative, risk-takers, or a bit defiant often get kicked out of school. Imagine having that kind of high school experience and then going to a class where someone asks you what your strengths are or asks you to understand the difference between people who are introverts and extroverts. Suffice it to say, their minds were blown!

The second week of Meghan and Evan’s training focused on very practical activities: writing a resume, practicing an interview, and thinking about how what they learned in week one applies to their futures. In addition to this training, they are taking a 3-month Computer Skills Certificate Program from a well-known Kenyan organization. They have also had lectures and interactive sessions on Career Planning and Communications Skills.

One of our graduates will enroll in a civil engineering course, two will become nurses and one will study to become a veterinarian. Other career interests include agri-business, teaching, community development, the hospitality industry, land management & surveying, IT, and more. In the coming months, these students will formalize their plans and we will communicate their plans to their sponsors.

Our agreed-upon goal (between the U.S. board and Kenyan operations) is that a minimum of 75% of students who complete high school and some post-secondary education will get jobs in the formal Kenyan economy. Estimates of the unemployment rate in Kenya are just that, but the most common unemployment rate I hear is 40%. We believe getting a good job is the ultimate “proof” of the effectiveness of our mission to support these young people as they seek to transform their own lives. We are confident graduates of this program will outperform Kenya’s unemployment rate of 40%.

As always, thank you for your support. The transformation in these students’ lives is profound and will reap benefits in Kenya and the world for generations to come.

Paula_Signature
Paula Meyer
President