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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Letter from Nairobi

Dear Friends,

We here in Nairobi take this opportunity to thank all the Friends of Ngong Road, our donors both known and anonymous, our supporters and partners. You cannot imagine the difference you are making in the children’s lives. Through your generous support, we currently have 114 children in primary school, 146 in secondary school, 94 in various Kenyan universities and colleges, and 37 alumni adding to a total of 391 children. It is our hope that through your support, and the support of your friends and other well-wishers, we will be able to increase the number of children sponsored by 30 or more by the end of 2017 as there are still many more vulnerable children out there who need your support.

Holidays in Kenya

Currently, the primary and secondary (Form One to Form Three/Ninth through Eleventh grade) children are on a long holiday that will end on 3rd January 2017 as schools resume on 4th January. During these long holidays, children are very happy to receive breakfast and lunch which they would not have gotten were it not for your generous contribution to NRCF. Since the holiday period is long, we have modified the Saturday Program so that the children can engage to fully exploit and realize their talents effectively. The Saturday Program is divided into four broad categories that are geared towards the complete development of the children, namely;

  1. Psychosocial health improvement: Yoga, cheers, singing and fun, brain games, talent contests, team building and spirit, and health check
  2. Cognitive development:  Arts and crafts, book reading, debates and presentations, crosswords, puzzles, and acrostic poems
  3. Social development: Participating in various clubs and societies e.g. drama and music, scouts, dance club, journalism and arts, St. John ambulance, and STEM (Science, technology, economics, and maths)
  4. Physical development:  Soccer, Katie, taekwondo, rugby, volleyball, handball, and athletics 

The children also enjoy a well-balanced lunch that is part of the nutrition program. After lunch the children go for breakout sessions; they are normally divided into two groups (girls and boys) and further by the primary and high school where group mentorship takes place on issues of reproductive health, personal hygiene, and how to overcome peer pressure, among others. The children really enjoy these sessions.

Testing season

Class Eight students have finished the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam and the Form Four students (12th grade) are sitting for their final exams, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE),  which they will finish by the end of November. We are expecting good grades from both the Class Eight and Form Four candidates that are currently sitting for their final exams.

August camp

This year from the 9th to the 22nd of August we had three exciting and successful camps held at St. Francis Xavier Girls School in Naivasha (i.e. Grammar Camp, Senior Camp, and Leadership Camp). We also had Little Kids Camp at Destiny Gardens, Rock City, Kiambu (an amusement park that has a swimming pool and beautiful gardens). We had 98% attendance of children in all four camps. Children interacted with each other and with visiting guests including the NRCF board chair and NRCF staff. The children had lots of fun through competitive sports and games, arts and crafts, career development sessions, swimming, a visit to the lake, boat riding, and hiking. They also had an opportunity to eat three balanced meals per day throughout camp. Thanks to the camp founder, Tom Gleason, and all the other sponsors who made this happen. We also appreciate Tulane University for its great support during camp.

Thank you all for making a big difference in the lives of these little ones and we believe that they will go to great heights.

Sincerely,
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Maureen Mulievi
Programme Director
Ngong Road Children’s Foundation

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March 2017 Trip to Kenya!

A few spots are still available for our March 2017 trip! Meet children in the program who are transforming their lives amidst daily hardships. Meet their parents and caseworkers. Visit a school, a home, the computer lab and library. Participate in Saturday program. And of course, go on a few safaris!

Friends of Ngong Road is partnering with fellow Minneapolis based non-profit Wilderness Inquiry to offer this incredible experience. The trip is 10 days – long enough to have a valuable experience, but doable for many working people or students. Trip cost is $3,995 plus airfare. To learn more contact lacey@ngongroad.org view complete trip details on Wilderness Inquiry’s website.

Learn More »

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NRCF Library Reaches Milestone 2,000 Volumes

In early 2009, MN volunteer Rachel Durfee asked family and friends to donate “A Book and A Buck” to establish a lending library for our students in Kenya.  A group of travelers hand-carried 200 books to Nairobi and with “200 bucks” bought library supplies such as cards and pockets to insert in each book and plastic crates to store and transport the books to Saturday Program, creating a mobile NRCF library.
In December 2015, with donations from Nairobi and Minnesota, a milestone was reached:  the 2,000th book was added to the library.

The NRCF now houses the library in a dedicated space that doubles as a conference room.The room features shelves categorized by early readers, fiction, African literature, and non-fiction, including biographies, references, and revision books. A large table in the room, surrounded by chairs, allows students to explore various subjects like art and zebras.

Donated Books

In addition to books, the library is a modern multi-media resource for our students.  It now boasts three kindles (the first of which was donated by Tarpon Springs FL student Gabriella Kennedy for a school project), board games (Scrabble, Mancala, Candyland Bingo, Legos, and Chutes & Ladders are particular favorites), and DVDs (shown at camp and at gatherings during school breaks).  In addition, paper and markers are available for students to illustrate and write about themes discovered in a special book they’ve read.

The library is open all day Monday to Friday. Nelson Mandela Academy, a partner school, sends its students to the library daily and NRCF also shares the library with students from other neighboring partner schools like Jagiet Academy. Boarding school students heavily use the library during school breaks and Saturdays, with selected books brought for the Saturday Program.

NRCF distributes early readers’ books to children in grades one to three for personal possession. The students were grateful and excited to receive their very own book – a first and only for most of them.

Why the Library Is Important

Kenyan English-based schooling improves children’s performance on standardized exams by increasing their English language skills.  This in turn helps them with their school (and ultimately career) placement.  The library offers Swahili books, but they’re not as popular as English, especially among younger readers. However, books about or taking place in Africa are quite popular.

As in the United States, reading allows children to escape to other worlds fueling their imagination and creativity. NRCF students realize global concerns, challenges, and interests through reading, highlighting shared interests and challenges among students worldwide.  Through the many non-fiction books, they are able to learn about history, science, nature, geography, and other topics.  Reference books aid students in understanding specific subjects and improving their English reading and writing skills.

Librarian Norah Keya

Volunteer caseworker Norah manages the library. She assists students in selecting books, encouraging them to read more by favorite authors or try new ones. They can borrow books for various durations, including weekly, two-week, or monthly readings, browsing shelves, or visiting the library. At any given time, approximately 50 books are checked out.

Norah has partnered with Kelvin Thuku, the head of NRCF’s computer lab, to create an online library management database. Library inventory manages book check-outs and ins, providing Norah with information on book numbers, names, ownership, and time stamps.  From this, she is able to tell which books are most popular which guides the search for books in the U.S.

Help to expand the library

Old Books

NRCF library has used books for up to seven years, featuring popular series like The Magic Tree House, Junie B Jones, Hardy Boys, and Babysitters Club.

If you have books of interest to readers from ages seven to college age, consider donating them to FONR. Non-fiction books guide post-secondary students in career paths and college/university courses, making them valuable resources for career guidance.

FONR supporters held book drives at Creek Valley Elementary School and Lommen Abdo law firm in Edina and Minneapolis, respectively.  We would welcome additional book drives – perhaps a youth group, classroom, or workplace project. All books are hand-carried to Kenya therefore, required to be current, good condition, and student interest.

Case Manager Support

FONR-2014 VisitA critical component of our program is the Case Manager position.  Case Managers get to know each of their assigned children and monitor and support the needs of every child in our program.  In each case, they are college or university graduates typically with degrees in community work, child development, or a related field. Case Managers are:Smiling_Camp_Leader_With_Students

  •  Assigned approximately 60 children each.
  • Visit each child’s home annually and visit the school three times each year (primary level) to assess the children’s progress, safety, and needs.  For secondary school students, Case Managers visit the student’s home and school annually and meet with them at least annually in the office to develop a guidance plan.
  • Assigned volunteer assistants to help them carry out their work, particularly at Saturday Program when nearly all the children are present.
  • Responsible for entering relevant data on all of their assigned children in our database, including records of school and home visits, health, school reports, letters sent to or received from sponsors, etc.

Biographies of each of our Case Managers are available in “Our Staff in Kenya”

Supportive Community

The key to our program’s success is the supportive community provided to the student, contributing to their success and ability to transform their lives. We provide case management support, a weekly Saturday Program, and annual camp and encourage parental involvement through an advisory committee of parents and guardians to maximize student success. Additionally, beyond the financial support sponsors provide, they often offer emotional support to their sponsored students.

Case Manager Support

One of the most critical components of our program is the role of the Case Manager. Case Managers get to know each of their assigned children and monitor and support their needs. Case Managers are college or university graduates and typically have a degree in social work, community work, child development, or a related field. Learn more about each of our Case Managers on the Kenyan staff page located here.

Case Manager duties are wide-ranging but include the following:

  • Ensure that all students receive and actively participate in quality education by monitoring their performance and that of the schools they attend. This includes maintaining a relationship with each school through regular visits, obtaining additional educational support as needed, and ensuring school fees are paid. 
  • Engage with each student and their family through home visits to assess their health, living situation, and other needs. This includes providing basic health and nutritional support, identifying drug or substance abuse and offering mental health counseling, referring students to other resources as needed.
  • Work with each student to develop individualized guidance plans to help students identify and work towards goals. 
  • Encourage students to maintain a strong relationship with their sponsor through regular communication. 

Advisory Committee

Similar to PTA programs in United States schools, we encourage community participation to maximize the program’s impact. The Advisory Committee consists of both parents/guardians and students. It serves as an advocate for the organization to the community it represents by providing feedback. Its primary mandate is to deal with and raise issues related to our programs and give advice or support to the Kenyan staff.

Saturday Program

A weekly Saturday Program, which is mandatory for primary school students, is held at a school field in Ngando slum. Volunteers, many of whom are alumni of the program, help the staff host the Saturday Program. 

Students participate in fun activities, including games and music. Many students visit the library before the start of each Saturday Program and check out books to read to themselves or out loud to an appreciative audience. Case Managers also coordinate writing letters to sponsors. 

A fresh lunch is prepared and served by our cooks. A nurse distributes multivitamins and deworming pills regularly and meets with individual children who are ill, referring them to clinics or prescribing treatment as appropriate. 

Check out the 2 ½ minute video below about our program produced by KMSP-TV featuring our Saturday Program. Learn more…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=auCyfIYs3Zw

Camp

Each August, with the help of volunteers, we host various camps where students have the opportunity to get out of their normal setting and spend time in a healthy, stimulating environment focused on learning and fun. Learn more.