A 5 Year Success Snapshot
In November, 2011 Village of Love Canada partnered with the Canada Africa Partnership on AIDS in order to fundraise for Kijiji Cha Upendo (Village of Love) Children’s Project in the Kibera slum, Nairobi, Kenya.
Give yourselves a High Five, CAP/AIDS!
Without your collaborative spirit, Village of Love Canada could not have gotten underway.
Village of Love started as a pilot project of 15 women, embracing 75 children, orphaned and biological, with one small revolving micro-loan fund.
5 years later…
There are now 5 revolving microloan funds serving 75 women and benefitting more than 400 children! These micro-loan funds are foundational for the orphan caregivers to lift themselves and their families out of extreme poverty through their own enterprise.
Women who were earning $1 a day now earn $4 to $5 a day. Their children are no longer sleeping hungry and they are going to school with a full belly.
Give yourselves a High Five, all micro-loan donors:
Individual Donors, Supporters of Square Dance for Square Meals, Women’s Inter-church Council of Canada, Canadian Samaritans for Africa!
Give yourselves a High Five, Village of Love Team in Kenya:
Andrew Obara (project administrator), Leonora Obara (program administrator), Kevin Garo(community mobiliser), Neddy Mutstotsi (community educator), Leah Atieno(social worker), Moses Omondi (educator), Robert Mugasia (accountant), Roseline Akinyi Ochieng (Board Chair), Dorothy Onyango (Board member), Ambrose Ngongo Gandi (Board member).
Youth training to fix bikesIn 2014 Bicycles for Humanity Ottawa donated a container of refurbished bikes, tools and spare parts to provide both employment for youth in selling and fixing bikes, and funds for Village of Love. This innovative venture produced $5,000 in much needed school fees.
Give yourselves a High Five, Bicycles for Humanity Ottawa!
Before their families joined Village of Love, the children attended school sporadically, whenever their parents could pay a few shillings for fees or schools supplies. Now 150 children have attended school regularly. Their grades have improved across the board. Three have scored well enough in their final exams to qualify for College. Five have qualified for scholarships to High School, including one to attend a particularly prestigious Girls’ School.
Give yourselves a High Five, education fees donors!
Thank you, West Vancouver United Church and Kamisa foundation! And well done, kids!
“Square Dance for Square Meals” fundraiserFrom raising $2,800 in 2011, Village of Love Canada now raises over $30,000 annually and has in five years raised over $100,000.
Give yourselves a High Five, Village of Love Canada Board and the many event volunteers!
The personal stories brought back by volunteers visiting Kibera have been invaluable for our understanding of the project. In 5 years there have been 4 CAP/AIDS volunteers: Gizaw, Robin Way, Memona Hossain, Ali Higgins; 7 Village of Love Canada volunteers: Judy Whitfield, Yen To, Salome Githuku, Joshua Makori, Sarah Macharia, Mara Nickerson, Sarah Foster; 1 student/ intern: Christine Stenton; and 2 Runnymede United Church Youth Group visits.
Give yourselves a High Five, travel volunteers!
A special High Five to the founders and administrators of the Village of Love Project in Kenya, Andrew and Leonora Obara!
It is their love for children, their model in generous living by raising 10 orphans along with their five biological children, their vision, dedication, hard work and Leonora’s expertise as a social worker that has empowered this whole innovative project!