Sallyanne Atieno, Author at Friends of Ngong Road

May 13, 2023 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Celebrating Mother’s Day

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, it’s important to recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of all the amazing mothers who are part of the NRCF and Friends of Ngong Road family.

A supportive parent/guardian is essential for student enrollment in a program. Moms actively participate by monitoring their children’s progress and attending meetings at learning institutions. Female parents/guardians dominate Annual General Meetings, focusing on their children’s success and program updates. Mothers actively participate in their children’s lives, increasing their chances of success.

We also want to thank all the mothers who have generously supported the NRCF program either through direct sponsorship of a child or donations. Your contributions have made it possible for us to provide education, healthcare, and basic needs to children in need. Your support is transforming lives and giving children a chance at a better future. To the mothers in the USA who have supported our mission, we say thank you. Your support has made a significant impact on the lives of children in Kenya. You are helping to break the cycle of poverty and provide opportunities for a brighter tomorrow.

On this Mother’s Day, let’s take a moment to recognize the invaluable role that mothers play in the lives of their children and in our communities. To all the mothers in the NRCF program, all the mother donors, and all the NRCF and FoNR staff who are mothers, we thank you for your unwavering commitment and wish you a happy Mother’s Day.

We invite you to honor a special mother in your life by donating or sponsoring a student.

May 11, 2023 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Miracle’s Educational Journey and Future Aspirations

My name is Miracle. My mother, younger brother, and I reside in Nairobi. I joined the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation program in fifth grade. It was a turning point in my life. The program provided me with an opportunity to excel academically and pursue my dreams.

It was at the program that I joined one of their focus primary schools, which gave me a sense of purpose. I felt inspired and motivated to become a better version of myself. I was a hardworking student, and my hard work and dedication paid off when I sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and performed above average.

I knew that I wanted to continue my education and pursue my dream of becoming a surgeon. My KCPE performance secured me a slot at a girls boarding school in Embu County, where I am currently studying. I am determined to excel academically, and I have joined the environmental club to learn more about nature and how to take care of the environment. My dream is to get an A and join Moi University to study medicine. I want to become a surgeon and make a difference in people’s lives. I believe that education is the key to success, and I am willing to work hard to achieve my goals.

I also want to travel and invest in medical facilities. I want to help people who cannot afford medical care and make a difference in their lives. I believe that I can achieve my dreams, and I will make sure I make that dream come true.

My journey has not been easy, but I am grateful for the opportunities that the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation program has provided me. It has given me purpose and optimism, and I am determined to make the most of it. I want to inspire other children who are facing similar challenges to believe in themselves and work hard towards achieving their dreams.

Transform a life today by sponsoring a child.

May 8, 2023 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Handover Ceremony for Computer Donations From Safaricom Foundation

Our mission at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation is to ensure that we transform the lives of our students. To improve education and resources, we applied for computer donations at Safaricom Foundation through the ‘Ndoto Zetu’ which translates to ‘Our Dreams’ initiative, we are aiming to acquire more computers for our Blockchain and Computer Labs.

The Safaricom Foundation through the “Ndoto Zetu” initiative partners with different organizations and communities and support them in transforming lives by providing them with the needed resources and opportunities. They have worked with communities across all 47 counties in Kenya to provide solutions on Education, Health, Economic Empowerment, Water, Environmental Conservation, and Disaster Response, which are key sectors in empowering and providing relief for communities. We were honored when our application was considered and we received the computer donation.

On Thursday, the 3rd of May we had a handover ceremony for the computer donation. The event took place at NRCF offices, featuring Safaricom Foundation representatives, our program manager, our employment program officer, and some of our TechMates. The event aimed to acknowledge and celebrate the donation’s positive impact on our students’ education.

NRCF thanks the Safaricom Foundation for its donations and for joining us at the handover ceremony. The computer contribution will allow TechMates and high school grads participating in the coding bootcamp to efficiently study and enhance their talents, which will undoubtedly help them get better prospects in the future. We have equipped the Elimu Hub’s computer lab with extra computers for children, aiming to create a brighter future for our students through technology and collaboration.

May 4, 2023 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

Peter’s Inspiring Journey

My name is Peter, I am a post-secondary student at the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF). I grew up in the Nairobi region with my siblings, and our guardians. My educational goals were realized when I joined the NRCF program.

Upon joining NRCF, I was enrolled in one of their focus primary schools, which is near my house, so I didn’t have to walk far to school. I worked really hard because I wanted to acquire good marks so that I could attend an excellent high school. Taekwondo was another extracurricular activity I participated in. I took the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and scored a decent grade. I enrolled in a boys high school in Nairobi and an extra-county boys’ high school in Nairobi. I played rugby, handball, and football as part of my extracurricular activities. They kept me busy throughout high school.

After graduating from high school in 2021, I was offered the opportunity to train as a Youth Peer Provider (YPP) in the program in July 2022. This was a great chance for me because I would be teaching my classmates and younger students in the program about the fundamentals of sexual and reproductive health. I was also working as an operations associate at Karibu Loo to keep myself occupied while I waited to start college. My job was to make sure that the restrooms were clean during social events. I was also helping at the NRCF on Saturdays.

In September, I enrolled at Thika Technical Training Institute for a course in Social and Community Development. My desire to become a social worker and aid the community, particularly children, motivated me to pursue this degree. My program lasts three years, and I aim to work for a non-governmental organization such as NRCF, the Red Cross, or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

I am grateful to the NRCF program for ensuring that I pursue my educational goals. In the future, I would like to sponsor a student from the program and create a similar organization to help transform the lives of other children.

Transform a life today.

April 28, 2023 By Sallyanne Atieno Leave a Comment

2023 Post-Secondary Career Camp

We had to put our summer camp on hold since the start of COVID-19 in 2020. After things calmed down in 2022, we redesigned the camp to ensure that students have fun while also gaining educational value. Instead of having a general camp for the high school and post-secondary students, we introduced a career camp meant to educate students, especially new KCSE graduates preparing to join colleges and universities on career training and college and university applications.

The camp took place at Naivasha West Beach Camp which is on the shores of Lake Naivasha from Friday, the 21st of April to Sunday, the 23rd. The camp theme was “WePower PS Career Camp” which translates to “We are Empowering the Post-Secondary students through this camp”. The students were able to demonstrate this through the discussions that they had with their paired buddies, who were selected Post-Secondary students in the different career fields that our high school graduates aspire to pursue, and external facilitators who we invited. This was to ensure that the high school graduates of 2022 can be able to fully understand the careers available, the placement process, and post-secondary life and move together as a team.

We had a total of 53 campers that included 26 high school graduates, and 15 buddies. We had a number of career development programs in store for the high school graduates which was the main purpose of the camp. Nelson, a guest speaker, from Generation Kenya facilitated a career discussion about selecting career choices based on interest and enthusiasm, as well as the effect that it makes. A representative from Zetech University also guided the graduates through courses, institutional selection, and placement. They were educated on how the Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) handles placements. This is in regard to cluster points and subject combinations.

We also had buddy group discussions that were facilitated by the selected buddies. The buddies were able to clearly explain how things work in higher learning institutions in specific relation to the courses they were taking. This enabled the graduates to have a better understanding of the various courses they had selected as their most preferred courses. The campers also enjoyed all sorts of activities ranging from summer Olympics, obstacle races, balloon relay, music and dance, swimming and team building activities. These activities were meant to be both fun and forge a teamwork spirit.

The camp was successful and we would like to extend our gratitude to all donors and sponsors for the education support they accord our students. We would also love to thank the teams from Generation Kenya and Zetech University for honoring our invitation and sharing knowledge with the campers.