Tag Archives: hopeless

If a single day goes by where someone else doesn't benefit from your being alive you've wasted your day.  Harry Berman

When “No” is Not an Option

A New Porridge Program is Met with Success While Hunger Remains

After successfully feeding 200 at risk youth today,
our celebration was challenged
when we found four children huddled together,
digging out of dirty, bacteria laden buckets filled with trash,
for something to eat.

Benjamin and his siblings Simon, Mercy and a baby sister are forced to feed from trash for their very survival.

Benjamin and his siblings Simon, Mercy and a baby sister are forced to feed from trash for their very survival.

One clutched a piece of rotten mango.
Another held a broken plastic container.
Their torn clothing was sizes too small and caked with dirt.
Their rubber sandals were broken and worn thin.
Any success we felt from serving the needy during this remarkable day waned.

Simon is hungry.  He watches over his 3 siblings as they fend for food on the streets.  You can HELP Simon today by donating funds to feed him and send him to school.

Simon is hungry. He watches over his 3 siblings as they fend for food on the streets. You can HELP Simon today by donating funds to feed him and send him to school.

We are thrilled that we have such generous donors who have helped us provide relief programs for thousands of at-risk children. In addition to porridge, the Matanya’s Hope sponsorship program sends impoverished and orphaned children to boarding school giving them a better chance at life through love and education.

Hundreds of children enjoy their first day of porridge at a needy school in Naro Moru.

Hundreds of children enjoy their first day of porridge at a needy school in Naro Moru.

This story remains critical.
We cannot leave these 4 children by the side of the road.

A MIRACLE IS NEEDED

Please donate what you can.
Every dollar helps.

If you are interested in sponsoring one or more of these children, please inbox us or call: 708-822-HOPE (4673)

Sponsorship improves the lives of at-risk children by sending them to boarding school, providing: food, clothes, shelter and a nurturing environment all for $1,500 a year per child.

Mercy Wambui was born in 2014, but has only known feeding from the trash for her 6 years of life.   Let's give her the gift of a miracle; let's send her to school.

Mercy Wambui was born in 2014, but has only known feeding from the trash for her 6 years of life. Let’s give her the gift of a miracle; let’s send her to school.

School children are given notebooks and pens, something Alan and Erick want so desperately.

From Our Student’s Perspective

This year I was able to spend time with the Matanya’s Hope Mission team. I saw beyond what Matanya’s Hope does for me alone. I now realize that this mission was spearheaded to break the cycle of poverty by saving and changing many more young innocent souls than whose names I know.

Wealth fades away. Civilizations grow old, but the love and kindness that Matanya’s Hope offers to the hundreds of Kenyan children who have faced abject poverty, lack of a good education, food and respectable shelter, is what keeps the flag of this charitable organization high. Matanya’s Hope, you’ve been a beacon of hope to those who were once crying; you are helping us break the vicious cycle of poverty in Kenya.

Child walking home from school in rural Kenya

Child walking home from school in rural Kenya

Just a few days ago, I decided to search Matanya’s Hope on the internet and I learned some amazing facts. The most impressive to me is that Matanya’s Hope has students in the fields of medicine and pharmacy, aeronautical engineering, law, IT and in accounting and finance. Having in mind that these fields not only remain to be the most lucrative and illustrious in a growing market like Kenya, they are also esteemed fields in developed nations like the USA, Germany and many others.

I realized that I had been ignorant of the many milestone achievements accomplished by Matanya’s Hope. I remember telling Michelle Stark, the organization’s founder and president, that my joy would be to see her charitable works become a success in the near future, but I wish I had told her that my joy would be to see her efforts and works continue to grow and succeed. Why do I say this?

Because having nurtured students who eventually have joined such esteemed fields is a clear indicator that Matanya’s Hope is already successful and that the love which has been spread over the poor Kenyan child is bearing great fruits.

Students at Matanya Primary School are excited to thank their donors for the daily porridge and safe drinking water.

Students at Matanya Primary School are excited to thank their donors for the daily porridge and safe drinking water.

Matanya’s Hope reaches multitudes of radically diverse cultural communities across Kenya. The Maasai Mara Region is one which forever encourages me. To this day, Matanya’s Hope works to bring about gender equality to the GIRL CHILD by empowering her through education. The Maasai (at large) consider the girl child inferior among her community. She is seen as unclean and unworthy lest she undergoes the FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, after which she will be sold into marriage. However, this charitable organization has come to the rescue of many Maasai girls by offering them education in lieu of FGM and forced early marriage.

Slowly, this archaic ritual is being traded in for higher learning and a healthier lifestyle. Efforts such as this remain a benchmark in the fight against gender violence and in the advocacy of gender equality and human rights at large. When I see what Matanya’s Hope is doing for pupils like me, who were once so lost and hopeless, I see Matanya’s Hope as one of the few world leading organizations dedicating their energies to changing the world and saving lives through positive transformation.

Girls as young as 9 years old are forced to undergo female genital cutting.  (FGM)  Once healed, they are sold into marriage and may become one of many wives in an older man's collection.

Girls as young as 9 years old are forced to undergo female genital cutting. (FGM) Once healed, they are sold into marriage and may become one of many wives in an older man’s collection.

Where would I be today if not for Matanya’s Hope?

I was born into a family of 3 boys. My parents were not able to cater for even the very basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing. These daily struggles brought about pain and turmoil and left me very confused. But, at 6 years old, God sent angels to come to my rescue. And this has been the beginning of my transformation. Until today, Matanya’s Hope has been catering for my school fees and encouraging my social, emotional, academic and spiritual development.

Why do I say that God sent angels? More than 250 impoverished pupils at my rural primary day school also deserved a chance to a better education, to develop their hidden academic potentials, yet Matanya’s Hope specifically chose me.

I, therefore, cannot sleep when God’s divine favour allowed such an opportunity to change my life. Against all worldly odds, I have come far. Once I was barefooted and schooling in a dirt floored primary school. Today I attend one of the most academically esteemed high schools in Kenya! Who could dare to dream of this, especially at the tender age of 6? Opportunities such as this were unheard of.

Thanks to the Matanya’s Hope academic scholarship, I am here to bid appreciation for the good work done by every stakeholder in this organization. Because of them, I have learned that education is the foundation upon which we build our future. I believe that those who passionately cherish knowledge never cease to grow and glow. I believe that education is the only sustainable way to break the cycle of poverty in Kenya, in Africa and in the world at large.

I pray that this little boy is chosen, like I was, so many years ago.  He  longs to feel hope instead of hunger and abandonment. He is 7 years old, a year older than when I was sponsored.   Sponsorship is a light in darkness.   Please - consider changing this little guys life.

I pray that this little boy is chosen, like I was, so many years ago. He longs to feel hope instead of hunger and abandonment. He is 7 years old, a year older than when I was sponsored. Sponsorship is a light in darkness. Please – consider changing this little guys life.

Today, I, a young man named Ndirangu, am in highschool. I work hard every day and I believe that one day I will be attending Harvard or Yale as an aspiring lawyer and actuarial.

This song (below) inspires me.

We are the blossoms of our land.
We are the ceram of our generation.
We are the future of our nation.
Where are those who used to doubt us?
Where are those who thought we are not worthy?
Let them come out
and see the builders of our economy.

We shall be doctors, engineers and lawyers.
We are proud to be the blossoms of our land.
We are the cream of our nation!
And together we shall build our nation.

To my sponsors and to my esteemed friend and founder of Matanya’s Hope, Michelle Stark:
Michelle, you encouraged me and I pray that my story serves as an inspiration to others.

I forever thank my family for encouraging and supporting my efforts to better myself every day.

To the Almighty,
I THANK YOU.

Written by C. Ndirangu, Mangu High School, 2nd Year

IMG_8712 Mary Wanjiru at school

A Day With Mary

The day was hot and dry. Our mission team spent the night with a Kenyan family near the base of Mount Kenya (Kenya’s largest mountain). The roosters and cows announced the rising sun, jolting us from our peaceful slumber. Suitcases had been packed the night before and were settled by the door. It was time to go.

The outdoor air was brisk; we each carried a bag and headed towards Matanya Primary school.

The children who attend Matanya Primary come from deeply impoverished families. Some are orphaned. Most are barefooted; their clothing bares the telltale signs of a difficult life. It is not uncommon for some of these children to go as long as 4 days without food. Mary, having already gone through her primary years, joined us. “I want them to feel encouraged to work hard and to never stop believing that they can make it” she said. “Hope and hard work can see them through to brighter days.”

A barefooted child stood outside of the classrooms with a metal rod and a piece of rusted steel clutched between his fingers. THIS was the school bell. The rod hit the steel, sending an urgent rhythm through the air; children poured from their dirt floored classrooms.

PORRIDGE TIME! Every year, Matanya’s Hope raises money to feed children from 3 rural, impoverished primary schools. This cup of hot porridge is often the only nourishment a child may have for the entire day. This year, Jonah, a Brown University student raised funds to feed the 250 children from Matanya Primary a nutritious meal of porridge every day of school.

Mission  participants embrace the opportunity to serve porridge to the children.

Mission participants embrace the opportunity to serve porridge to the children.

After Mary and the rest of the Matanya’s Hope team served porridge to the children, we met with those most needy. Bare footed children lined up outside of the dark stone hallway where we spread out donations of shoes, clothing, blankets, school supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, nutrition bars and more. Children in torn and tattered clothes waited with anticipation for a pair of trousers, a shirt, underwear, or a jacket. Many needed book bags, blankets… pencils, pens… soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste. The need was great. Mary understood this better than anyone! Just years before, in 2007, she too, had nothing. Her parents’ home was burned and her family lost everything. Broken and desperate, they came to live with an uncle in Matanya. Within weeks, he abused them and forced them out.

Minutes passed into hours and an exhaustion spread throughout our team. Water (a very precious commodity) and a bite of Ellen’s Quest bars helped us press on. Donations came to a bitter sweet end. A few new soccer balls flew from feet to heads to air. Cameras clicked. We played with the kids and could not have asked for a better day!

Later that night, I sat cross legged on my bed preparing to listen to Mary’s story. I could not help but notice that she was dressed well. Her hair framed her youthful face in plump, fresh braids revealing the majesty of the setting sun reflected on her high cheek bones. The nice looking tablet she was using was nearby.
Mary sat on the floor against the wall. Her knees were drawn up to her chest.

I knew I would hear Mary’s story, but I was prepared to confirm my inclination that she was ok. That perhaps she needed little help outside of school fees for college. Mary spoke; I filled with shame as her story unfolded. I cried with her as she spoke about being displaced, losing every thing and being emotionally abused.

MARY’S STORY:
“It was back in the year 2008 when life gave me a hard blow that until today I have not been able to let go of it in my mind. We had just celebrated the Christmas festivities with my grandparents and we were on our way back home when chaos broke out in our country along tribal lines. We were informed that our home town was very unsafe and hence my uncle offered us shelter. We hoped that all would be well soon. After two weeks of continued violence, we received terrible news that our belongings had been looted and our home was burnt down to ashes. This was the most painful time of my life.

We remained at my uncles place for two more weeks; he felt that we were a burden to him. My uncle’s became rude and really abused us. We had to move. My dad tirelessly looked for a job; he was without a single coin but he found a small, single room nearby. His only choice was to now go daily to search for employment on people’s farms, where he would work from sun up to sun down for less than $1 a day. Through God’s mercy, he later found a better job at a hardware shop. The lady owning the hardware place offered me and my younger brother school uniforms and stationaries and we joined school.

By that time, we had been out of school for more than half of a term and this meant that we were so much behind in terms of our studies. I felt so discouraged, as if I would never make my dreams of being a lawyer true due to the situation back at home.

My mother had been adversely affected by the turn of events and would often suffer from asthma attacks. She depended entirely on inhalers and other prescribed medicine. When she could, she would work as a casual laborer at the same farms my father worked on – from sun up to sun down – and would bring home $1 a day.

Life was very painful. I remember sometimes, especially before my dad got the job, we would miss meals. We slept hungry, on a very thin layer of foam with a very thin blanket. We would anxiously wait for the day to dawn because the place was so cold.

"I hope one day I will achieve my dream of becoming a lawyer and I will sponsor a child, like Matanya's Hope sponsored me."

“I hope one day I will achieve my dream of becoming a lawyer and I will sponsor a child, like Matanya’s Hope sponsored me.”

Back in school, I worked tirelessly and was able to catch up with my studies. I was blessed with massive support from the teachers who made me see the need to work even harder so I could raise my family out of the state of poverty. After I changed my attitude, I saw my background state as my greatest inspiration to work extra hard. God did make way for me out of nowhere. I met Matanya’s Hope and I got sponsored for my studies.

Being sponsored by Matanya’s Hope is what changed my life and made me believe that nothing is impossible with God.

I took this blessed chance to do my best; every moment I knew that I was the hope for my family. I pray that I may never let my family or Matanya’s Hope down. One day, I hope they will all be proud of me after achieving my dreams of becoming a lawyer.”

Mary’s facade melted away as we continued to speak.
“Is it difficult for your parents to provide food?”, I asked.
“Yes”. Tears followed.
She buried her face in her arms.
Are your parents educated, I asked.
“No.”
So, you will be the first?
“Yes, I am their hope.”
I was still confused about something. “Your tablet is nice”, I told Mary.
“That was a prize I was given in high school for having an A”, she shared. “I had nothing. Not a phone or any way to research. This has really blessed me.”
What do you want for your future, I asked Mary.
“I want to be the voice for the poor. That is why I want to become a lawyer. I will be able to help.”

Mary cherishes every moment  of her education.  "I want to succeed and help my family out of poverty. I want to sponsor a child as Matanya's Hope has sponsored me."

Mary cherishes every moment of her education. “I want to succeed and help my family out of poverty. I want to sponsor a child as Matanya’s Hope has sponsored me.”

Sponsorship has given Mary a promise of hope as she continues her education. It goes far beyond any financial commitment or gift; it offers our children a chance to dream again.

Hope through education.
Mary is now settled in university, officially admitted into the school of law. “I just want to do something to give back to my society” Mary told me. “I want to be able to sponsor a child in need, the way I was sponsored by Matanya’s Hope. And I really want to help the oppressed by becoming a lawyer who cares about the people, someone who can be the voice of those who are not otherwise heard.”

Sean Martin is overjoyed to receive clothing and school supplies during mission.

Look Who Just Got Sponsored!

You may already be a part of miraculous stories in your life, or maybe you are eager to be a part of the miracles unfolding right here at Matanya’s Hope. To every sponsor, prayer warrior and donor, thank you for helping us give love and hope to thousands of children in need. This story is about Sean Martin, a boy who touched founder Michelle Stark’s heart the moment she met him.

Stark tells us, “My entire being ached when I heard Sean’s story from the Director of his school.” Desperate to get her grandchildren educated, Sean’s jobless grandmother walked barefooted and hungry to a “local” primary school. The trek was monumental, demanding this elderly woman to sustain a long climb up the steep, rocky mountain roads until she reached the school gates. There, she told the director that she had no money but would bring some soon. She explained, “Sean has just been orphaned and his cousin Valerie is orphaned as well”. The director took the two children in, but months passed and the promissory fees were not paid. The children’s grandmother was unable to manage the bill. Sean and Valerie were to be sent home… Their hope for education faded. That is when I met them.

Sean smiled but I could see the pain beneath his sweet face. He needed the absolute basic necessities in life: food,shelter and love. When his mother never returned from a recent outing, Sean’s only hope was his jobless grandmother who took him into her 11 X 11 rented room. She did all she could already to support 7 orphaned grandchildren. Sean Martin now made 8.

Sean Martin, pictured after spending a day with Matanya's Hope Mission Team

Sean Martin, pictured after spending a day with Matanya’s Hope Mission Team

Stark recalls, “When I was a child, I rode my bicycle all day and played with my friends.” Sean Martin prays for a meal to eat and an education to carry him throughout his lifetime. He promised his grandmother, “One day, Grandmother, I will be educated and I will get a good job and build you a house.” He held the crayons we gave him and drew a picture of this house of his dreams.

So what does it take to help a child like Sean? It takes action and understanding that not every child has been given a chance to experience life like our children. When bad things happen to these kids, there is no way out… unless we help them. Stark says, “When I see a child finally get sponsored, when they begin to understand that their life matters and that other people care about them – when I see that, it is like experiencing a sunrise in my soul!”

This is Sean with other Matanya's Hope students at school.  Founder, Michelle Stark is pictured in the back row.

This is Sean with other Matanya’s Hope students at school. Founder, Michelle Stark is pictured in the back row.

To Sean’s sponsor. Thank you! You have changed the world for this beautiful boy!

To sponsor a child in need, please contact Matanya’s Hope: 708-822-HOPE (4673) or email us at: [email protected]

Donations are needed to help us continue the programs which reach children like Sean.

WAYS TO DONATE NOW:
Matanya’s Hope
PO Box 562
Homewood, IL 60430

Donate on this blog.

DONATE THROUGH VENMO (search for Matanya’s Hope)

Naishorwua Poster

Help Me Go To School


Yes! I Want to Help Naishorwua!

At the end of each day, I take some time to reflect. Today is one of those days.
It’s 46 minutes passed midnight. I should be asleep, but the story of a little girl named Naishorwua is weighing heavily on my heart.

I must share her story.

I ask this: please share this post.

Naishorwua after receiving shoes from MH donations.

Naishorwua after receiving shoes from MH donations.

I know that many of you will see Naishorwua’s photo and her story.
Someone out there will read it and they will feel touched to change Naishorwua’s life through her dream of education.

SPONSORSHIP:
Sponsorship positively changes lives and sometimes even saves them. Naishorwua comes from a small village in the Maasai Mara. The girl child in many Maasai villages is often sold into marriage by the time she is 9 years old. Naishorwua represents hundreds if not thousands of girl children just like her. Reaching them is critical. Many who go unsponsored are subjected to female genital cutting and forced early marriage. One at a time, we are making the difference these children hope for. By sponsoring Naishorwua, you are advocating her choice for education.

I just got word from Naishorwua’s father that on March 24, their house burned down completely. The family has no place to live and no belongings to their name. This is a critical time. Sponsoring Naishorwua means more now than ever!

Sponsorship motivates the child sponsored, their family members and the community at large.
Please: reply to this post for more information on sponsorship.

Naishorwua, front row center, lighter blue jacket and other Matanya's Hope students.  That is me in back.  Members of our Matanya's Hope team: Patrick front center.  Henry Front far right.  MH STUDENTS: Back: Taiyana, Lilian Kirokor, Valerie, Everline, Rose Muthoni  FRONT: Mugo, Sean Martins, Naini Rarin

Naishorwua, front row center, lighter blue jacket and other Matanya’s Hope students. That is me in back. Members of our Matanya’s Hope team: Patrick front center. Henry Front far right. MH STUDENTS: Back: Taiyana, Lilian Kirokor, Valerie, Everline, Rose Muthoni FRONT: Mugo, Sean Martins, Naini Rarin

DONATE
on line at www.journeytohelpafrica.com
or send your tax deductible check to:
PO BOX 562 Homewood, IL 60430
A general gift of any amount is appreciated.

Your tax deductible donation will help us reach many children like Naishorwua.
Your support means the world to us.

Ambrose 2007 Nanyuki Kenya
"Where you are today is a monumental part of your story...and in some years to come...it will all make sense."

AMBROSE – Journey of Hope

The Power of Hope Through Education – Ambrose’s Story

Ambrose Lanuko portrait in Nanyuki

I vividly remember the 2007 July day – hot and dry, without much breeze, but with a communal buzz of passersby and a heavy scent of lingering exhaust fumes. The people of this small Kenyan town did not have much access to modern transportation – especially that with clean emissions. Most of them were farmers and either walked or paid public vehicles to carry them. Anything motorized usually sputtered smoke and tossed fumes as an unavoidable torture to the human senses.

During this time of year, the people of Sub-Saharan Africa were experiencing drought. Community members were gathered in town for small business, waiting for the rains to come and the time to re-launch their new farming season.

I waited outside of the market. I don’t know why, but on this day, I did not want to go in. I stood on the makeshift sidewalk, observing… waiting… lost in my own world. A young boy of approximately 9 years old approached me. Though he stood on the opposite edge of the street, his eyes gently locked with mine and his unspoken story whispered straight to my heart.

Ambrose was steadfast. He engaged with my camera lens, in a friendly showcase of playful martial arts moves. His attention shifted from the lens to my eyes and back to the lens again. Dialect was not needed to speak the language between us.

Ambrose on the streets of Nanyuki during our first meeting.

Ambrose on the streets of Nanyuki during our first meeting.

When my Kenyan partner came out of the store, I was eager to tell him about my new friend. He urged me rather boldly to “let this go”…”Kenyan street children are liars”, he said with such an absolute unshakable conviction that it felt cold and shook me. “He will deceive you.” With that, his intentions were clearly laid out: I was expected to follow him to the vehicle and go home.
But I couldn’t. I could not get this sweet, little boy adorned in a torn and faded pink jacket out of my mind. I couldn’t let go of the innocent play we shared – and of the overwhelming love I felt filling my heart – I felt as if an angel stood there with me and brought this boy and I together.

“I can’t leave him”, I said.
I could see the irritation in my partner’s eyes. “I have to learn more.”, I persisted.

With a grudge powered resistance, my partner began to converse with Ambrose, “the street boy”. His first question was going to prove me so wrong… maybe the second…

We were soon in the car, myself, my partner AND AMBROSE – traveling into rough territory where we would check out if “this street boy” was telling the truth. (I had no reason to doubt him).

Our vehicle bumped through the town’s rocky terrain and splashed through whatever stagnant puddles remained along the way. The path was so narrow that at many turns, we brushed up against tall, twig like cacti. They scraped the sides of our car featuring unmistakable screeching as the auto paint was unapologetically scratched from the car.

As we rocked down the last leg of the pitted earth road, a cluster of dirt floored shanties revealed themselves. Several people stood outside watching the unusual sight of a car rolling through their alley ways. I was told to be guarded as I exited the car. Women and children stood still, captivated by our appearance. I looked into each person’s empty eyes and a sense of their desperation became mine. My heart broke for these people – even more so, it broke for my new friend.

“Here is where I live” he said. (translated for me). “I live with my crippled grandfather.” I peeked through the large gaps of 11 X 11 room, walled with deteriorating wood planks. The sunlight streamed through, highlighting the glittering flying dust and a dirt floor. Nothing else. This was Ambrose’s home. “My grandfather is crippled…” he paused. “He goes to town to beg. I care for him. I cook and I wash his laundry.”

“What do you want Ambrose? Do you have a dream for yourself?” I asked.
He leaned against the wooden planks and looked up into my eyes. “I want to become a doctor” he answered. I could hardly see. Tears were at their capacity; any more and they would spill down my cheeks!

We returned to town with Ambrose and took him to the store to purchase much needed food. I visited with him daily (for the time that I was in the area). We purchased a bed for himself and his grandfather and soon, we had a sponsor! Ambrose got his wish; he went to school.

Today, this precious child is a young man. He is in his final years of education, studying with every ounce of passion and drive in him to become a teacher. Yes, his career choice changed. Ambrose said it best: “I want to reach the youth who face challenges much like what I faced in my young life. You saved me. I want to save them.”

Ambrose during his internship - student teaching.

Ambrose during his internship – student teaching.

Ambrose’s story beautifully captures the essence of how gaining access to love and education can change a life and a community. The act of love, of listening and caring – and the gift of education empowered him to unlock the treasure trove of hope.

Literacy is more to our children than simply teaching them how to read; it opens up a new way of living. It provides a path to hope and dreams – to God’s plan for them – that otherwise may not ever be realized.

The seeds of HOPE are planted in the fertile soil of education and a loving support system. We use simple, personal ways, like playing with the children, feeding the hungry, putting shoes on the barefooted and clothing those who are dressed in threadbare material to demonstrate love for soul, here and now. Our prayer is that no child shall ever be forgotten.

Healing IS possible. It starts with a vision. It is followed by prayer and action. And… it culminates with renewed life … more than we could ever have imagined.

Your support makes a big difference!

A MESSAGE FROM AMBROSE:
“I know that I am the way I am because of God Matanya’s Hope and my sponsor, Isabel.

I could not imagine that I could reach this far. As a child, I did not know the importance of education and also being closer to God. Right now, I feel blessed and I pray that my story will be used to help the people who have lost their faith an hope in life.”
Ambrose Lanoko 2017

Ambrose 2007 Nanyuki Kenya "Where you are today is a monumental part of your story...and in some years to come...it will all make sense."

Ambrose 2007 Nanyuki Kenya
“Where you are today is a monumental part of your story…and in some years to come…it will all make sense.”

The road towards success does not require that I have the best clothes, but asks only that I have a steadfast dedication towards my dreams.  Thank you Matanya's Hope for believing in me.

Matanya’s Hope: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Children become ill after drinking from stagnant pools when that is all the water available.

Children become ill after drinking from stagnant pools when that is all the water available.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
…the difference between starvation and enough to nourish the body
…the difference between an education and being lost in the cycle of poverty
…the difference between a career and considering yourself fortunate to earn .82 cents a day as a common laborer (not even enough for daily food)
…the difference between having a clean water source and water laiden with bacteria and disease
…the difference between sleeping cold and uncovered on a dirt floor and sleeping contented on a bed with a blanket
…the difference between suffering (or even dying) from malaria and having medication and protection from mosquitos
…the difference between being barefooted and having shoes to protect tender feet from the earth’s challenging conditions

This is considered a lucky child with a pair of shoes...

This is considered a lucky child with a pair of shoes…


Your gifts and donations to Matanya’s Hope make a huge difference in a child’s life.

Here, in the western world, our youth have access to free education K – 12. Most are fed at least twice a day and worry more about the BRAND of shoes they have or about acquiring the latest electronic devise.

But, in impoverished areas of Kenya, students walk miles to school and they long for any pair of shoes. An electronic devise is a novelty that few of these children have seen or even heard of.

Here, students know they must attend High School. Most do their homework and await the arrival of their coveted weekends. Many orphaned and impoverished students in Kenya will be unable to pay the fees for high school; for some of these most brilliant minds, schooling stops as early as 9 years old. Weekends are almost ALWAYS reserved for hard labor, with or without food.

In 2005, as I traveled and met the children of rural Kenya, my perception of “the rights of a child” was overwhelmingly challenged. I met 4 students in a dilapidated classroom. Dirt floors… no electricity… no running water… and bare feet surrounded me. These children were orphaned, malnourished and each one believed they would never walk through the doors to study at any high school.

Children waiting outside of a classroom at Matanya Primary School

Children waiting outside of a classroom at Matanya Primary School

Before I left Kenya, each one of these 4 students were sponsored by 4 of the families on tour with us. They became the first four Matanya’s Hope students (before we ever even had a name). Matanya’s Hope grew from this first act of love through the ongoing gift of Hope being planted in each of these four lives. And though I celebrated these students, I could not erase the faces of the 250+ barefooted children I saw who also deserved the same chance.

The four original students who once had no hope for furthering their academic minds, have now grown. Two are working adults and two are finishing degrees; one in education and the other in food science. Imagine the joy in having a teacher who understands the plight of hunger and abject poverty; what an encouragement she will be!

From a start of 4, Matanya’s Hope now sponsors 250 +- students ranging from nursery to university. We have students studying pharmacology, nursing, education, engineering, accounting, law and more……..We have a plethora of graduates who work in the following areas: teaching, tourism, procurement, chefs, banks, aeronautical engineering, accounting and so much more. Together we are making a difference.

IF EVER YOU FELT COMPELLED TO GIVE, NOW IS THE TIME.
CHILDREN ARE IN NEED OF YOUR HELP.

Soon we will travel back to Kenya for Mission 2017 and again we are going to meet the faces of starvation, malnourishment and hopelessness. Funds are needed to place water tanks in drought stricken villages, schools, homes, medical clinics and orphanages. Medical supplies are needed in the remote clinics (where even an aspirin is often hard to come by).

We are going to see heartbreaking hunger and torn and ragged clothing. We are going to see feet without shoes and students without pencils. We are going to find children who sleep on dirt floors without a single blanket.

Funds are needed now for shipping of over 4000 pounds of donations and supplies so generously provided by you, our donors. Thank you! We need funds to continue our porridge program that feeds over 1000 students (in three different schools) a daily cup of freshly prepared hot, nutritious porridge. For many this cup of porridge is all these hungry children receive daily. HOPE is YOU. It is in all of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please listen to the song ‘Do Something’ by Mathew West and be the Hope these students and families need. ….

HOPE HAS A NAME. It’s YOU! Life is better for so many children and families, because you care!

Please help us continue this noble work.

Michelle Stark
Founder, Matanya’s Hope

Matnaya's Hope founder, Michelle Stark with two children from Matanya Primary School.  Photo taken during Mission 2016

Matnaya’s Hope founder, Michelle Stark with two children from Matanya Primary School. Photo taken during Mission 2016