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 who are given monthly support – a residential compound with over 40 orphans, 24 orphans in residential highs school, and one in post secondary.
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 the first children’s residence. This building was originally
constructed to be home to 16 children. Our numbers continued to expand and we required a new building. Construction of the enlarged residence was started in August of 2011. Originally we envisioned this project as being completed in the Spring of 2012. However, a combination of increased government regulations and taking advantage of other opportunities (such as a bio-gas system) and the decision to build a fourth floor, have resulted in continued construction. While the two floors are now home to the younger and older boys, and the dining hall and study areas are complete, we are just on the verge of completing the interior of the upper floors to accommodate the girls’ residence and the library and offices for the program. We are hopeful these will all be completed by the summer of 2014.
As the building is being completed there is a continued focus on self-sufficiency with the bio-gas plant, a well on site providing water, solar panels, small scale farming, chickens, goats and cows providing food for the children.
This is not a charity as much as it is an opportunity; a way to invest in the future of these children, their community, and eventually the whole country of Kenya. With the utilization of technology the program is creating a level of connectedness and accountability with funders and therefore fosters a true sense of global citizenship and social justice. More than just raising funds, donors are invited 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.
