FAQs

It’s easy to mistake Hamomi for an orphanage. We are battling the assumption that orphans must live in orphanages and that one organization must offer only one service. It can be hard for people to remember that Africa that is diverse and complex, as it is often portrayed as one homogenous unit.

Hamomi’s multi-faceted strategy is grounded in an American approach. When it comes to domestic, US issues, we understand complexity and the need for comprehensive care. Some examples: We do not have orphanages in the US, we have foster care. Our soup kitchens also offer needle exchanges, case workers, job skills training and other services that address the complications of hunger and homelessness. We know free education is not enough to battle all the obstacles in difficult neighborhoods.

Hamomi believes the exact same thing. We will serve each child thoroughly, holistically and all the way through the end.

If Hamomi’s programs were serving children the US, it would cost about $10,000 a day – as a result, our annual budget would last less than two weeks. To be effective at Hamomi, we require such a small percentage of what it requires to be effective in the US. Giving to Hamomi doesn’t need to be an alternative to supporting your domestic organizations. These can be done hand-in-hand, as Hamomi doesn’t compete on the same budget playing field.

Therefore, we believe you can and should care about both. We have real domestic issues, but we also have a responsibility to recognize and advocate for the needs of people all around the world who are battling poverty. Developed nations played a significant role in how the world’s wealth got distributed, and while that needn’t make us walk around feeling guilty, it should give us a sense of duty to one another.

Hamomi’s administrative costs are under 10%! We are very proud of the fact that our donors know their money is going directly to Hamomi. Our partnership with 501(c)(3) Greater Tomorrow means we don’t have to hire a full time administrator, CPA, bookkeeper, or lawyer. This also means that Hamomi’s staff is able to focus on programs. Our paid staff is entirely Kenyan, living and working in Nairobi, directly with our children.

Hamomi is funded almost entirely through individual donations – our most common donation size is $20. Hamomi runs on the generosity of thousands of people all over the world! With growing domestic support in Kenya, we are working towards offsetting our reliance on foreign donations, but in the meantime, we rely on every last dollar our generous supporters can spare.

Hamomi’s primary school enrolls 120 students. At this primary school, the students also gain access to Hamomi’s feeding program and medical clinic. Hamomi primary school graduates are awarded scholarships to continue their educations, and has thus far awarded 46 scholarships.

In such a densely populated, impoverished area, there are more who qualify for Hamomi’s programs than we can enroll. Students qualify who are living in extreme poverty, the school maintains a 50-50 girl to boy ratio, and there is a high turnover rate as it is a transient community. Therefore we enroll students based on a combination of need, vacancy in specific grade levels and gender. Hamomi stays connected to the community through a variety of community members, but most importantly the local Kangemi Health Centre community health workers who can point to children in extreme need. Our medical clinic staff are able to follow up on needy cases and figure out if we have the space to enroll them.

Greater Tomorrow is our 501c3 partner in the United States that manages, processes and handles all donations and activities related to Hamomi in the United States. This partnership keeps our administrative costs extremely low so we can focus on programs while they help us keep your donations tax-deductible.

You can volunteer in many different ways.

At Hamomi in Nairobi! Interested in a meaningful adventure? Living in Nairobi and hoping to get more involved in a good cause? Reach out!

Help out remotely! We are run entirely by volunteers on the administrative and fundraising end. We take interns, volunteers and supporters year round. Reach out!

Email: info@hamomi.org