During the first two weeks of August this year, I was privileged to travel to Kenya to visit the Umoja Project. The main purpose of my trip was to attend the Boys and Girls Empowerment Retreats for our students who are in secondary school and post-secondary school. This was my first time to witness the…
Many thanks to everyone who helped make Umojacon such a huge success! Thanks to an awesome team of volunteers, we had a great evening of music, food and fun. In the weeks leading up to the festival, parish members purchased links in a paper chain. Each link represents $5, with blue links indicating a $25 milestone…
Four Indiana students joined the June travel group to visit western Kenya. They played with Umoja children, got to know their Kenyan counterparts, and spent time in schools and homes. We are beginning to plan two trips for 2020 – one in February and one in July. Join us to be challenged and inspired. Email…
During the June trip to the project area, Indiana visitors helped to spread CONFIDENCE to Umoja girls. “Confidence” is the brand name of the locally-sourced feminine products we distribute to adolescent girls. Umoja students face extraordinary daily challenges in their quest for education. They often lack basic necessities, such as blankets, clothing and light to…
Our next interfaith group is traveling from Indiana to visit the Umoja Project in a few weeks. Sixteen travelers ranging in age from 16 to 72 are looking forward to spending time with Umoja students, teachers, guardians, and staff. The next interfaith trip is scheduled for February 2020. If you are interested in learning more…
The Umoja family in Kenya gathered Memorial Weekend for Umoja Day to honor the memory of Founder Ellen Daniels-Howell, who passed away two years ago. The day included the grand opening of our new office space in Kenya. The celebration included ten children from each of our 19 partner primary schools, link teachers, head teachers,…
Yvonne overcame many challenges to shine as a leader in her school and community. Her father has passed away, and Yvonne lives with her grandma. Her mother abandoned her after remarrying and moving away. She attended Chulaimbo Primary School until 2015 then joined Mawego Girls Secondary School, where she is excelling in her final year.…
The Umoja Project welcomed Isabelle Hall, Field Traveler for GlobalGiving, who visited Kenya in May. Several Umoja Project programs are featured on GlobalGiving, an international charitable giving platform. “I was thrilled to meet Leonard and the greater Umoja team,” says Isabelle. “I thoroughly enjoyed participating in their GET UP program, and observing the BET UP…
In April, Leonard, Joel and Joyce met with Principal Rodger Abong’o and Marion Mayabi, enrollment manager, of KCA University in Kisumu. Joel is studying accounting, and Joyce is hoping to enroll this fall. Mr. Abong’o writes, “Extend our regards and appreciation to the executive director and financiers, we indeed are proud of what your organization…
In March the secondary class of 2018 came together to celebrate the graduates’ next steps. Eight Umoja post-secondary students scored high enough on national exams to receive direct admission to university. Congratulations to Michael, Cleophus, Dorthy, Tabitha, Cleon, Stephen, Brian, and Doreen! Umoja Project also named the 2019 project assistants, recent graduates who work with…
