Welcome to The Creation of Hope. For the most recent activities of the project, please click here.
This project began with a chance meeting with a young boy in a marketplace and the discovery that he was one of over 500 orphans in and around Kikima – a small rural community in Kenya. These children live in the most desperate of situations – situations that for many seem to be hopeless.
The program features an outreach component – with over 350 orphans residing with extended family members given monthly support – a residential component with 37 orphans and 19 orphans who are funded to go to residential high schools.
Over four hundred children are being provided aid either by residential placement or with food distribution packages every month that support them and their extended families. In addition, these children, along with many others in the community are also the recipients of mattresses, blankets, school uniforms, medicine, school supplies, shoes, livestock and tools. Other community programs involve water projects, building and maintaining a library, high school tuition fees and associated costs, and education projects in the community.
In September of 2009 we completed our first children’s home – The Rolling Hills Residence. This building, originally constructed to be home to 16 children, became home to 37 children who had no other alternative. Construction of an enlarged residence on the grounds was started and in August 2011, with three floors completed, the boys moved into the new building. The girls expanded into all of the rooms of the original building and it is hoped that by the Spring of 2012 all facet of the new building will be completed and the girls will also take up residence. There has also been a renewed effort to make the entire program more self-sufficient. A well has been dug to provide water, a bio-gas plant completed to provide cooking needs, continued use of solar panels for electricity, chickens, goats and cows providing food, and continued small scale farming.
The goal to create a children’s residence became a reality in the summer of 2009 when the first building, which provides a home for to up to 16 children, was built. Through solar panels, solar cookers, goats and chickens, and small scale farming we are attempting to create a fully self-sufficient facility. This is not a exercise in charity but in opportunity; a way to invest in the future of these children, their community, and eventually the whole country of Kenya.
We’re also going to try to utilize technology to create a greater level of connectedness and accountability, thus fostering a true sense of global citizenship and social justice. More than just raising funds we’re inviting people to help raise the roof, raise hope, and raise opportunity.
Private and Corporate Involvement: When tax receipts for donations are requested, funds will be directed through The Africa Inland Mission. There will be an 7% administration fee taken by AIM and the remaining 93% will then be sent directly to workers on the ground in Kenya.
School Involvement: 100% of money raised by schools will be sent directly for service to the Creation of Hope program. There is no administration fee taken from student-raised funds. Fundraising efforts are student driven. Each individual school and student body decides how to generate the funds to be donated.
Students will be able to access this website to watch as the project evolves, to read monthly updates, to see the faces of the children being served, and to read their stories and learn about their life situations, struggles and triumphs.
Each school will be provided with accountability through this website. This will list – dollar by dollar – exactly what their funds purchased and the specific children and community members that benefited from their efforts.
Funds are sent to Kenyan partners in installments. Prior to the next installment being forwarded the previous funds are documented with detailed, accurate accounting including receipts and photographs. Many of these photographs will be placed on the website for all to see. The partnering team in Kenya is composed of local community activists and leaders. These are people of high integrity who not only fully understand the needs of their community and the children and families within it, but are deeply committed to improving lives.
The Creation of Hope is administered by private individuals who will oversee the project, provide a high level of accountability, and personally assume all administrative costs.
If you want to become involved or wish to learn more about The Creation of Hope, contact Eric and Anita Walters and their team of volunteers by emailing ewalters@interlog.com. Together we can turn desperation into hope.
