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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Alumni Update

In 2021, 25 students in our program graduated from college. Since graduation, 78% of these alumni have found employment while one returned to school to further her education. This success has been possible due to the enormous support from our partners and sponsors who have walked with these graduates on their journey through life transformation. We would like to highlight 3 graduates who are celebrating the fruits of their hard work and the investment in their support. 

Noah Ngugi – Make-up Artist at M.A.C Store

Noah joined the program in October 2007. As a child, his family’s ability to pay for education was an incredible challenge.  Friends of Ngong Road provided a bridge for him to pursue his dreams. He has now completed his education and is incredibly proud of having a degree, a career, and the ability to support himself.

Noah studied at Uhuru Boys Secondary School and graduated in 2017. He later joined Lintons College to pursue a Diploma in Make-up Artistry and Nail Technology. He graduated in November 2021.  

Currently, he is working at M.A.C cosmetics store as a cosmetologist. Noah is also an active leader at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation as a Youth Peer Provider (YPP) for the sexual Reproductive Health Program.

Wence Njiri- The Social Worker/ Case Manager

As a child with little hope and dreams for his future, life was challenging. Although his parents did their best to provide for the family, they struggled financially. The world and prospects changed for Wence when he joined our program in October 2009.

He was so happy when he learned he was sponsored.  He received a lot of love from the caseworkers and the other students in the program; he met many new friends.  He also had access to consistent support, education, and food. During his time in school and participating in supportive programming, Wence was able to discover himself and harness his skills to prepare for success. Wence became a leader in the program as a Young Peer Provider (Ypp) for the sexual Reproductive Health Program at NRCF.

Wence is a graduate of Kabete National Polytechnic with a diploma in Social Work and Community Development. He currently interns at NRCF in the Primary department with prospects of being hired full-time in the future. There is a saying that we only need one thread to weave our story and for him, Ngong road Children’s Foundation was that thread.

Eric Njuguna- Supply Chain Management Graduate

Eric is the youngest of three siblings. In October 2002 his mother passed away due to illness, and, at such a young age, this loss crushed him and he felt like his life was entangled in darkness. Eric and his siblings moved in with their grandma who enrolled him in school.  Although he was relieved and excited to be in school, it came with a lot of challenges. His grandma was older and had diabetes, so she couldn’t work enough to keep up with the rising school fees. 

Life started looking up when his grandma was told about the sponsorship program by a friend. After meeting the rigorous selection requirements Eric and his brother were both sponsored. All aspects of their lives were taken care of, including health, education, and nutrition. He graduated from college with a diploma in Supply Chain Management and is currently applying for jobs.

Nelson Mandela, the first black African President of South Africa once said that ‘Education is the great engine of personal development.’ Eric is forever grateful to Friends of Ngong Road for providing him with the education and support he needed to transform his life.

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In Memory of Duane

Most of us want to know that our lives matter to other people, though the expression of that desire can take many forms. Duane Patterson, 1953 – 2021, made his contributions in quiet, steady ways. Duane first sponsored Derrick in 2017 when he traveled to Kenya. He enjoyed corresponding with Derrick and was hopeful Derrick’s future would be better due to the support he provided.

In May 2021, Derrick completed high school and we have admitted him to our post-secondary program. He is in the midst of computer training and exploring the best options for his continued education.  Duane was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May 2021 and passed about 10 days after the diagnosis. He left a $100,000 bequest to Friends of Ngong Road which will be invested in our endowment fund. This means that each year Duane’s gift will generate $4,000+ to support operations, in perpetuity. Thank you, Duane, for leaving a legacy aimed at improving the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya. Well done my friend. 

There are many ways you can support Friends of Ngong Road. In addition to sponsoring a student or giving an annual donation, you can also support FoNR through a gift from your retirement account, by designating FoNR as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or including  FoNR in your estate plan, like Duane did. If you’d like to learn more, please contact us at info@ngongroad.org or (612) 568-4211.

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Congrats, Graduates!

Shout out to our 2020 graduates. This year we had 17 students graduate from primary school to high school. We had 25 students graduate from secondary to post-secondary.

A ‘handover’ ceremony involving students, parents, and NRCF staff took place on May 28. This ceremony celebrates student achievement and orientates the students to the next level of education.

The primary school ceremony includes a highlight of expected changes in high school since primary life is usually different as primary school students are usually enrolled in day schools while high school students are in boarding schools. Students are also coached on handling negative peer influence which is common in high school. The students are required to sign the secondary commitment agreement which defines the expectations of both the parents and students to continue being supported in their education.

The secondary graduation ceremony included a highlight of the post-secondary education requirements and expectations. At this level students are required to take initiative for their education and career goals. Students are advised on the scholarship opportunities for various levels of education (Certificate, Diploma, and Degree options) based on their performance on their KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) exam. The staff educates graduates on the importance of post-secondary education as it increases their chances of getting meaningful employment in Kenya. The students are required to sign a post-secondary contract and code of conduct if they wish to continue with their education.

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Mercy our first nurse

It is the dream of every young girl to be independent and beat all odds to become a successful woman in Kenya. This is the case for our sponsored girls who have the opportunity to transform their lives which is a stepping stone for becoming self-reliant and independent.  Mercy is one just girl and has become our first nurse graduate.

Mercy joined the NRCF program in 2007. She stayed with her aunt, sister, brother, and three cousins. She enrolled at G.S.U primary school in grade 3 where she performed well in the final KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) exam and joined Mirithu Girls High school.

While in high school, she maintained focus, kept things neat, and exhibited discipline, all while possessing an independent mind. Excelling in science, she pursued nursing due to her passion for aiding the sick and impoverished in urban slums.

She took the final KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) exam and passed. Following her dreams, she applied to a Nursing program and secured a vacancy at Clive Irvine College of Nursing at Chogoria to study for a Diploma in Nursing. She determinedly pursued her studies. Due to Covid-19, her graduation, originally slated for 2020, was pushed to June 2021.

Mercy recently started an internship at Melkzedek Hospital to gain more experience.  She is a role model to other young women in the program. She has managed to transform her life with the help of NRCF and her dedicated sponsor.

In the outpatient department, her primary role as a triage nurse involves administering drugs, injections, and managing emergency admissions.

We hope that she will be able to secure permanent employment upon completion of the internship which takes 6 months.

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Asaph-His Story

Asaph is the eldest of two children in his family. Asaph joined the Ngong Road Children’s Foundation program in 2008. He successfully finished high school and joined St. Paul’s University, where he got a two-year degree in business management.

Karibu Loo hired Asaph as an administrative and marketing assistant for two years. While there,  Asaph was offered a higher salary by Patiala Distillers where he was in charge of inventory control for 16 months. He obviously impressed his employers since he was promoted at the end of that assignment. He became the Sales Supervisor in the Mount Kenya region for a year. Recently he was promoted yet again to be an Assistant Key Account Manager in the Nairobi headquarters of Patiala Distillers.  

Asaph’s mother is still alive. He is her sole source of support and both are so grateful that he is able to do so. Asaph demonstrates the grit, determination, and focus one would expect to see in a young man who has moved so quickly upward in his career.