2018 End of Year Letter

A Letter from Our Executive Director, Joy Nafungo

Hello!

I am very excited to be writing to you from Nairobi to tell about this past year, and the path forward. It has been another incredibly successful year, continuing to prove that long term, consistent access to services is exactly what children need.

2018 at a Glance

In 2018, Hamomi supported 172 children in the Nairobi through the Hamomi Primary School & Hamomi Scholarship Program. Through that year, we celebrated:

• 100 boys & girls completing another year of primary school
• 15 students graduating from primary school – 49 beneficiaries of secondary school scholarships
• 8 graudates from high school, who are now applying to college
• 8 graduates from university & college

Among our university graduates are Godfrey Adede, who now has a degree in public health, and Godfrey Gudah, who graduated with a certificate in Information Technology. Adede now runs a business within the Hamomi neighborhood called Kangemi! Some Hamomi scholarship beneficiaries who started Hamomi primary as little children began their university education in 2018, like Meloticia Karechi who is now studying to be a teacher, Douglas Onyoso who joined the National Youth Service, and Anne Wangui who is pursuing a business certificate.

We celebrate the milestones and achievements of our children and we acknowledge the immense role that our partners, volunteers & sponsors play. For instance, our partnership with Recorders Without Borders led to direct support towards 16 children to attend a Rawallan’s Scouts camp. Quite an experience for the children! Our partner “Move 2 Empower” visited Hamomi to engage children in Zumba and outdoor activities and to give certification to a Hamomi teacher to continuously engage children in physical activities. The National Hospital Insurance Fund from Kangemi mobilized staff to contribute foodstuff to support Hamomi. These are just a few many partners who continue to walk this journey with us.

Looking Ahead

We move into 2019 with enthusiasm & anxiety on the progress of our plans. We are still making steps towards sustainability, strategising ways to:

• Put up longer lasting structures at the primary school,
• Give-back ideas for beneficiaries who have completed university, and
• Build sustainable partnerships with Kenyan organizations, individuals & communities.

However, the most important thing to us is to stay focused on ensuring that the children we support continue to thrive within this safe and nurturing environment we have built, which believes in the success of every child.

As we work to keep that community thriving in 2019, I am wishing you a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Joy Nafungo

Joy is the Hamomi Executive Director and can always be reached at joy@hamomi.org