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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Teens Table Talents Day

Ngong Road Children's Foundation under 14 football team posing for a group photo
Ngong road children’s foundation

Last Saturday, the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation came alive with the Teens Table Talents Day. Our main goal was to empower our children by allowing them to participate in activities they are passionate about. We organized our very first football tournament, featuring teams for kids under ten, those under fifteen, and even an adult team. It was a day filled with excitement, as both our under ten and adult teams performed admirably, defeating our highly skilled and energetic opponents.

Ngong road children’s foundation

Following the tournament, the spotlight shifted to beauty and fashion. Our young, talented, and creative women took the stage to showcase their skills, ranging from modeling to dancing, all while wearing bright smiles on their faces. The event was made even more special by the presence of Cindy, one of our generous sponsors, who witnessed the incredible talents and the vibrant program we had prepared.

A young boy passionately singing into a microphone with emotion and enthusiasm.
Ngong road children’s foundation

The entertainment continued with performances from various artists, dancers, and a particularly captivating show by our dance club. Your contributions played a crucial role in making this Saturday program a success, and words cannot express our gratitude adequately. We would like to thank all of our sponsors and volunteers for making the Teens Table Talents Day a success, not forgetting the children for their participation and enthusiasm. You can join us on this incredible journey with our children by volunteering, donating, or sponsoring a child. Remember, the most significant investment we can make is in our children’s future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPGvNKak_x4

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 Fun and Fitness At Our Exciting Olympics Day

Last Saturday, our Saturday program hosted an exciting Olympics Day celebration. Children from Ngong Road children’s foundation came together to enjoy athletic competition and make lasting memories.The day started with a healthy meal to give the kids energy for the activities ahead. Then, they were divided into two teams to compete in a series of fun and challenging events.

The kids are running as fast as they can in a relay race. They are all smiling and cheering for each other. The atmosphere is very exciting and everyone is having a great time.

The highlight of the day was the steeplechase relay races. The kids showed off their agility and determination in the 100-meter race, and the excitement grew as the distances got longer. The 200-meter race pushed the participants to go the extra mile, both physically and mentally. And the 400-meter race was a true test of endurance and teamwork. Amidst the exciting races, we added a fun twist with the “tunnel game.” This game brought surprise and helped the kids learn to trust and work together. Their laughter filled the air as they went through the tunnels, finding happiness in teamwork to tackle the challenges.

The kids are laughing and having a great time as they play the tunnel game. They are working together to get through the tunnels, and they are all helping each other out. It is a very cooperative and social game, and the kids are clearly enjoying each other's company.

After the races, the kids had a chance to relax and play some games. They played cornhole, which requires precision and strategic thinking. They laughed and high-fived each other as they showed off their skills.The day ended with a snack and a sense of accomplishment. The kids had made new friends, pushed themselves to their limits, and had a lot of fun.Olympics Day was a success because it brought together kids from different schools and gave them a chance to compete and have fun. It also showed the power of teamwork and friendship. The kids will remember this day for years to come.

We are especially grateful to our donors for providing the funding that made this event possible. Your generosity allows us to provide the kids with healthy meals, equipment, and prizes. We could not have done it without you! We would also like to thank our volunteers for their time and dedication. Your hard work made Olympics Day a reality. You helped to set up and tear down, run the events, and cheer on the kids. We appreciate your support more than you know! We are always looking for volunteers and donations to support our Saturday program. If you would like to get involved, please visit our website or contact us at info@nrcfkenya.org

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Brightone

_Brightone has big dreams and hopes to change his life and overcome the sad memories he carries. Brighton has two siblings, as the second born, Brighton finds great joy in spending time with his siblings, especially taking care of his little brother. Their presence in his life brings him a lot of happiness.

However, Brighton’s school life hasn’t been smooth sailing, with ups and downs that led his parents to transfer him to a public school. This transition has somewhat affected his education and hindered his pursuit of a brighter future. Despite this, Brighton excels in extracurricular activities and believes that his dream of becoming a professional football player has been hindered by the lack of focus on extracurricular activities at his school. It saddens him to realize that he doesn’t get much practice time. Nevertheless, his mother supports his aspirations by allowing him to play with other boys at home and even sacrifices money to buy sports equipment such as a football.

Brighton’s ultimate dream is to become a professional football player and help other students excel in extracurricular activities. He values his time spent making friends and conversing with his parents. He derives strength from his favorite meal of Ugali and kales, believing it gives him the energy to play and run around. Furthermore, his long hours in the classroom have sparked an interest in becoming a teacher, as he wants to create opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities. His favorite subjects are Mathematics and Christian Religious Education.

Brighton is a devout Christian who dedicates his free time to singing and participating in church activities. He dreams of one day being able to participate in the NRCF Saturday programs, where he can make new friends and play football all day. He hopes to be chosen as one of the successful beneficiaries of the program, considering himself fortunate to have passed the interview.

His story highlights his determination to overcome challenges and pursue his dreams. With the support of his family and his own drive, he aspires to make a positive impact in the lives of others while achieving success in his chosen path.

Travel to Kenya!

Join Friends of Ngong Road for the trip of a lifetime to Kenya: 

Thursday, Feb. 29th- Saturday, March 9, 2024! 

You will spend three days in Nairobi meeting students during the Saturday program, tour schools, visit our new Elimu Hub and get to know the Nairobi staff that directly supports our students.  If you are a sponsor, you will have an incredible experience meeting your student, spending time with them, and meeting their family.  

After Nairobi, you will go on a safari in two national parks with Ahnasa Travel. Watch the sunset over the plains, scout for animals, and enjoy meals and overnights in luxurious lodges.  

Click here to watch the video of the informational session held on Wednesday, June 28th.  If you are interested in attending the trip, contact Naomi, our Donor Relations Associate at naomi@ngongroad.org

Cost and Timeline:

The trip cost is $5,100.00 per person sharing (based on 8 guests traveling)

Does not include airfare and some meals

Registration deadline is September 8, 2023 

30% deposit due September 22

Click here for sample itinerary highlights

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Amy’s Trip to Kenya

Amy, Chief Operating Officer of Friends of Ngong Road, recently visited the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF) and Karibu Loo (KLL) offices in Nairobi, Kenya. She was there for two weeks. Her objectives were to work with NRCF and KLL staff on a number of financial and operational projects and to visit with students and alumni of our programs. Some highlights from Amy’s visit include:

Visited with Sponsored Students and Alumni

The most fun part of visiting Kenya is spending time with kids and young adults.  Amy spent time at the Saturday program, popped in on alumni in a coding “boot camp” in the amazing ElimuHub computer lab, and visited with the young people she, her husband Daryl, and son Nate have sponsored.  Their sponsored post-secondary students and alumni gave Amy helpful insights on their experiences in the program which she has shared with leaders.  And if you love babies, it will make you smile to know that Amy met the one-year-old daughter of the alumni she and Daryl first sponsored.  Seeing the impact of sponsorship on the next generation is what it’s all about.

Attended Employment Programs for Alumni

Small Business Training – Amy attended a small business training session for alumni interested in starting or improving their small businesses. This very practical training, which is particularly focused on start-ups, is done in partnership with the Kenya Small Business Development Center. The Saturday training usually takes place at the NRCF office, but that day it was held at Strathmore University and was facilitated by Isaac Mwangi, an instructor at Strathmore and one of the county leads for the Kenya Small Business Development Center. 

Metrics! Since joining NRCF, Martha has significantly advanced our employment programs to support alumni. We now need a way to assess the impact of these and future programs.  Martha, Kelvin, and Amy brainstormed a list of metrics – measurable indicators of alumni success and upward mobility – we could use to assess the impact of these programs over time.  This working session has already led to a plan to update this summer’s annual alumni survey to capture key indicators and develop the analytics for our monitoring and assessment. 

Focused on Finance Processes and Controls

A key focus of Amy’s trips is always financial processes and controls, both for NRCF and KLL.  On this trip, she determined that our processes are working well and as designed, but everyone was excited (really!) to find ways to be more effective and efficient.  They tackled and found great opportunities in areas like procurement, managing inventory of supplies, and school fee payments.  At Karibu Loo, they completed a post-implementation review of the team’s fantastic work in 2022 to leverage our accounting system more fully for the sales and invoicing processes. 

Reviewed NRCF Governance

The Board – Amy joined the NRCF board meeting in person to report on finance matters. After the meeting, she and Kelvin Thuku hosted a celebration to welcome two new board members, Neena Shah and Jeff Nthiga who bring important skills and new energy to the NRCF board. They also bid farewell to retired board members Robert Murimi and Anupa Sanghrajka with thanks for their many contributions. Martha Otieno (our employment programs officer) and several alumni joined the event to share their inspiring stories with board members. 

Engaging Alumni in Governance – In its meeting, the board discussed and agreed that having the voice of alumni at the table would be very useful and agreed to develop an alumni advisory board member role.  This role will leverage alumni experiences and perspectives in our programming and give them an opportunity to learn how the governance of an NGO works.

Overall, Amy said it was a highly productive trip.  Seeing the passion and commitment of the staff, the energy of the students, and the impact that is being made, was wonderful to experience.