It happened. Finally. We broke ground on the new boys’ dormitory! I’ve been picturing this moment for three years. Whenever I’d think about the awful conditions of the current dormitory or feel the weight of the fundraising goal before us, I would close my eyes and see it all. I'd visualize the stages
Betty, pictured above in the pink hat, is an orphan. After her parents passed away, she and her five siblings moved into their grandparent's small house. There wasn't enough food to eat. The grandparents couldn't pay school fees. They needed help. Without other options, Betty and her siblings were split up and taken
There were so many moments on my recent visit to Rapha Community Center that left me speechless. I’ll admit I arrived feeling a bit discouraged and disappointed that I hadn’t reached certain fundraising goals. I was questioning if I was making a difference, wondering if it was time to call it quits or
A STATEMENT FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Elias was found abandoned in the streets when he was about three years old. He didn’t know his name or age. He could barely speak. The local authorities couldn’t find a children’s home that would take him in, so he stayed in a jail cell
This past May, the children at Rapha Community Center participated in the annual "How to Draw a Lion" art class, led by Brooklyn-based artist, John Platt. This is a dynamic program that teaches children from schools and children's home in Africa about the magic of art. Students learn how to paint and by the
I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Next Phase Campaign. Our goal of $100,000 was ambitious and we knew achieving that would be difficult. However, the urgency of the work we must do prompted us to aim high. While we we were not as successful as we had hoped, to date
When I returned from Kenya this past summer, I felt a sense of accomplishment unlike any of my other trips. Life was different at Rapha Community Center. I saw progress everywhere I looked. Our children drink clean water now. They eat fresh vegetables and fruits from our own farm. They are thriving because the well
Please join us for an art auction and party featuring paintings created by the children at Rapha Community Center in Kenya through the art education program How to Draw a Lion. Friday, November 16, 2018 6:00pm - 9:00pm The Adelphi Hotel, 365 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 There will be a silent auction, music,
HEAL: RAISING OUR WORLD, ONE CHILD AT A TIME January 23, 2018 | rickmullins Jennifer Musick Wright is the “mum” to more than 45 children in Kenya. It all started 10 years ago when she traveled to Kenya as a sophomore at Wagner College. Wright volunteered at a government-run orphanage that was severely understaffed. The children
Ten years ago, I embarked on my first journey to Kenya. I was a college sophomore, searching for direction. Little did I know my experience would shape my future in such a profound way. It was during that trip, after witnessing the atrocious conditions at a government-run orphanage, that I decided to build a children’s
