Remember Samantha? When I shared her story in my last letter, she was just about to begin her KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) examination. This is an important endeavor for all Form 4 students in Kenya. It’s the culmination of their entire secondary school education and their results determine so much
The pictures in the top row are from the very first day of school at Rapha Secondary School. In the beginning, we had more desks than students, and our classrooms were temporary structures that were hardly conducive to learning. It was a humble beginning, but hard work, determination and the generosity of
Samantha’s mother passed away when she was just starting secondary school. It was a difficult loss at such a pivotal time in her young life. Her father should have been there to help her grieve, but he abandoned her and left her to care for her younger sister. They didn’t have anyone
After the death of both his parents, Joseph was taken in by his grandfather, but caring for a young child was too much for the elderly man to handle. There wasn't enough food to eat, school fees were not paid and instead of attending school, Joseph stayed home to help care for his grandfather.
It’s the largest giving day of the year and when you donate to HEAL your donation on #GivingTuesday will count twice! Thanks to a generous donor, all donations made online via our website or Facebook will be matched up to $5,000. In addition, Facebook will be matching up to $8M in donations.
The doors to the first class of students at Rapha Secondary School opened nine years ago. I remember those students. I remember the temporary structure where they learned and the makeshift science lab they used. Many of the teachers were just out of school themselves and the administrators learned quickly that operating
Please join us for the 6th Annual How to Draw a Lion online art auction featuring 20 original paintings created by the children at Rapha Community Center. Bidding opens November 29th at 8:00am and closes on December 4th at 8:00pm just in time for holiday gift giving! The paintings continue to improve each
Introducing Gifts to HEAL! Are you looking for gift ideas? Do you need a gift for the person who has everything? This holiday season give a meaningful gift that also changes the lives of the children at Rapha Community Center. Visit our online shop today to purchase items that will benefit the children
I’ve had a lot of special moments when I visit the children at Rapha Community Center, but some of my favorites are when I see their creative talents manifest before my very eyes. When a child stands with courage before their peers to perform an original song or dance, I feel so amazed,
The Reminder I Needed Sometimes this work is simply daunting. There are days when the challenges seem too immense to overcome. There are times when I desperately need a reminder of why it’s so important to continue. Last week that reminder came in the form of a message from the director
