Providing education and support to Nairobi children living in poverty whose families are affected by HIV/AIDS.
In 2012, we had our first five students finish high school and in 2013 another twelve stud
ents joined their ranks. We have treated this first group of 17 as a pilot project as we worked to shape the Post-Secondary Program.
Based on our mission
The underpinning of the Post-Secondary Program begins with our mission statement which concludes with these words: “so they can transform their lives.” The question is, what is the measure of a life transformed? [Read more…]
Ngong Road Children’s Foundation’s main priority in our COVID-19 response is to focus on family food aid. We are calling this new initiative Food from Friends. In the course of a normal April, our program provides students with breakfast and lunch each weekday while they are on break from school as well as a hearty lunch on Saturdays during Saturday Program. We are no longer conducting these programs due to the government directives on social distancing and avoiding gatherings. The children are at home with their families, many of whom are no longer working.
We have been running the Food from Friends project where funds gathered are used to purchase food packages for families. We have approximately 300 families dependent on our program. Each food packet contains 1 kg beans 2kg of rice, 4kg of maize flour and 500g of cooking fat. In the last two weeks, we have been able to issue food aid to around 200 families among which 72 of the neediest families have received food packets twice. 75% of our families have 3-5 people in a household and the food pack we give can only last them for a week. We are looking at being able to provide larger quantities of food that would last a family a month, thus minimizing the movements of parents coming for food aid every week.
Families that have received food have shared that they consider themselves so lucky to be part of this organization and so thankful for the food aid support.
We thank our donors and well-wishers for your commitment to providing Food from Friends. We are in this together and we shall overcome. Stay safe.
Kelvin Thuku
Program Manager
Ngong Road Children’s Foundation
Friends of Ngong Road is planning a trip, especially for our sponsors, donors, friends, and families to Kenya in February/March 2023. Have you ever thought about traveling to Kenya to meet your student? Do you want to experience a life-changing trip with your family? Is it a dream of yours to go on a photo safari? Your dream can become a reality.
The trip will be hosted by an experienced FoNR traveler, a sponsor, and a local Nairobi guide. The itinerary will include time with students, a visit to their homes, a school tour, and time at the Saturday Program. You will also see our new student center, Elimu Hub. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see some Kenya national parks, African wildlife, and the uniqueness that Nairobi has to offer.
Contact Naomi at [email protected] if you are interested in learning more. We will follow up with more details on the itinerary, timing, and costs. There will be an online information session to provide more details about the experience, answer any questions you may have, and meet fellow travelers.
August usually means that our students are out of school for the month, but because of COVID-19, the education calendar changed and required our students to be in school to make up for the lost class time. Instead of a month, they only have a one-week break. Unfortunately, there will be no August Camp for our students this year since they will be in school during the weeks that are normally on holiday. Nonetheless, we have various activities in store for them that will not only keep them busy but which are fun and enjoyable.
The Saturday Program will continue weekly and include all students during the one-week holiday break for older students. We strive to engage with our students and provide an opportunity to bring them together. This is an important part of our overall program as it enables us to interact with our students and learn more about their school and general life progress. We spend every Saturday with primary students and provide a wide range of fun activities and importantly, lunch. Activities are planned to enhance their cognitive skills and provide a way for them to interact with each other. Our roster includes racing, various clubs and societies, taekwondo, gymnastics, book reading, and much more. During the holiday week this year, we will have special activities for older students.
Time to write to sponsors. As a special activity, we will have all students visit the new computer lab in the Elimu Hub to send emails to their sponsors. All students come to the office, log in to their portals and write letters to their sponsors. The letters are an opportunity to update sponsors on their progress, especially in school, and tell them more about what is happening in their lives. We encourage them to include any changes that might have taken place since the last time they wrote. Remember, for many students, these are the first personal letters they write, and it takes a while to get the hang of it! Letter writing is very important as it is the best way students keep in touch with their sponsors.
Concentrated computer classes will be held. We will be having computer classes for the primary students. They will come for classes on selected weekdays and on Saturdays before the Saturday Program starts. Classes ensure that students are computer literate as this is fast becoming a necessary skill in learning. Our computer/IT lab assistant will take them through the classes in the computer lab in our newly constructed Elimu Hub.
Life Skills Training and Sexual Reproductive Health sessions are scheduled during the one-week break for older students. The Life Skills classes will enable them to gain the relevant social skills that are needed for interpersonal relations. The SRH classes are meant to educate them on major topics around sexual and reproductive health for them to make informed decisions on the same.
We are optimistic that our students will enjoy and learn from all the activities scheduled for this summer.
“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.