December Child of the Month
Faith
Faith
“Okoa Toto saved Faith’s life, and she is now a healthy young girl,” said Kevina Ingrita, Okoa Toto’s Home Manager.
Two years ago when Faith came to Okoa Toto her health wasn’t good. In fact, she was malnourished. She was the third born in a family of six children who grew up in a slum in Kambi village.
Faith’s parents lacked education which contributed to a difficult situation at home. They lived in a house without a roof, among such terrible poverty. Her mother would find work as she could, traveling around to weed gardens or wash clothes. Faith and her siblings would often be found begging in the streets or other homes.
Thanks to Okoa Toto, Faith is now enjoying a caring home environment, a quality education, and three nutritious meals each day. She is determined to make her dream of becoming a teacher come true.
Wesley
November 2021 Child of the Month
Okoa Toto is building the hopes and dreams for the 12 children including our December Child of the Month, 8-year-old Wesley who dreams of someday becoming a pilot.
Prior to coming to Okoa Toto, Wesley suffered from poor health and an inability to go to school. He lived in a small village in Lumakanda with both parents and his siblings in a one room semi-permanent structure.
Wesley’s father too suffered from severe health challenges, a difficult thing for a young child of his age to understand. As a result, neither of Wesley’s parents were able to work and earn a living. This made Wesley and his siblings lose hope in life overall.
Since becoming part of the Okoa Toto family Wesley now has a positive, caring environment where he is thriving. He enjoys going to school every morning, evidenced by his excellent grades! We all look forward to the day when perhaps, we’ll walk on to a plane and be greeted by Captain Wesley!
Special thanks to Wesley’s sponsor and all of our Okoa Toto donors! If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to ensure the ongoing success of Okoa Toto, please visit donate today
Rebecca
October 2021 Child of the Month
Remember Rebecca?
Age 7, Rebecca came to Okoa Toto in May this year, malnourished and with no education, health care or a providing family. Thanks to you, our friends and donors and the staff at Okoa Toto look at her now! Rebecca now has a supportive home environment, receives a quality education, nutrition and health care.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to continue our mission please donate today.
Rebecca
October 2021 Child of the Month
Joy
September 2021 Child of the Month
Meet Joy, our September child of the month and with aspirations to be a doctor!
Now 8-years-old in grade three, Joy joined Okoa Toto at the age of six. She is the fourth born in a family of five children. She grew up in a small village in Lumakanda where she lived with her parents in a small one room semi-permanent house in a church compound.
Both of Joy’s parents never went to school, which contributed to their poverty and inability to find work. Joy’s mother recently had an accident where she sustained multiple injuries. She was ultimately discharged from hospital to recover at home.
The area church at times provides the family with funds for Joy’s mother to buy vegetables. The vegetables are then sold later in the day by Joy and her siblings. This is considered a form of child labor, where the profit made can be used to purchase more vegetables and flour. As a result of this situation, Joy would miss school due to the lack of school fees and requirements. Okoa Toto was able to step in and provide Joy with a welcoming home environment, education, nutritious meals and health care.
Joy is a hardworking and determined girl. Okoa Toto is making her dreams come true to someday become a doctor and give back to the health of her community.
Michael
August 2021 Child of the Month
Michael dreams every day of becoming a pilot, and thanks to Okoa Toto, he is on his way, now living in a supportive home environment and receiving an exceptional education.
Michael, now age nine, was welcomed to Okoa Toto at age seven. From Rasa Village in Lumakanda, he was raised primarily by his grandmother in a mud house together with other children.
Michael’s parents separated when he was one year-old. His father left the family to find work. His mother, being the only provider then, was not able to care for his basic needs. His mother too decided to go to Nairobi in search of a job, leaving Michael with his grandmother.
Michael attended a nearby nursery school however, he would miss classes due to poor health, nutrition, and lack of school materials.
Today, Michael is a healthy, happy, and hard-working young boy who will succeed in life because of his sponsor and so many other friends and supporters who continue to make dreams come true for him and the other 11 Okoa Toto children.
Jian
July 2021 Child of the Month
Jian, eight years-old, is the fourth born in a family of five. He was raised in a very poor, or paper pan, village as it is referred to in underserved countries.
Jian’s father is a small-scale farmer. Typically, the little he receives from farming is not enough to provide for his family. His mother stays at home helping farm their small piece of land. Jian’s parents never had a chance to attend school because their parents never knew the benefits of educating a child, and knew the high cost of educating a child. This greatly contributed to the poverty in Jian’s family.
Welcomed into the Okoa Toto family, Jian is now in school in grade two. He is hardworking, determined, and would someday like to help eradicate poverty and better inform his community about the importance of educating a child.
With the help of Jian’s sponsor and other generous Okoa Toto friends and donors, Jian’s dreams of becoming a teacher and pastor can become true.
Mary
June 2021 Child of the Month
Mary, 8 years-old, would often miss school due to hunger – then Okoa Toto came to the rescue. Here is her story:
With a hope and dream of becoming a future teacher, Mary grew up in the Kawangware slums in Nairobi city.
Her father, who earned the income for the family, died in 2015. After his death, her mother was unable to care for Mary and her other siblings’ basic needs. She then neglected the children by leaving them alone in the house. Mary’s grandmother was informed by close neighbors about their mother’s disappearance. The grandmother travelled to the city and rescued Mary with her other two siblings. She took them to her home in Bendera Village in Lumakanda.
Due to the grandmother’s age, she was unable to continue her work as a gardener in the village. After helping at the church from time to time, she was given beans and corn which she would take home for her grandchildren.
Mary’s health was not good and her school performance had declined because most of the time she would miss classes due to hunger.
Since she came to Okoa Toto, her health is good and she is doing well in school. Mary is now assured nutritious meals and a supportive home environment, thanks to Mary’s sponsor and our many donors and friends of Okoa Toto.
Gabriel
May 2021 Child of the Month
Malaria, a common health concern in Kenya and in regions around the world, motivates our May Child of the Month, to become a doctor.
Gabriel, eight years-old, was fortunate to start out in school however, was unable to attend past grade two due to a lack of funds to pay for tuition.
Gabriel lived in his grandfather’s home from the time he was born. Gabriel’s grandfather earns living by doing small scale farming on his small piece of land. He also has other grandchildren and his own children whom is providing for. The little income he gets from farming is not enough for the whole family and therefore, basic needs go unmet.
Gabriel is hardworking, determined and a well-behaved young boy who now has a bright future by attending school again, receiving nutritious meals and health care.
Thanks to Gabriel’s sponsor and our other Okoa Toto donor, we’re confident Gabriel will accomplish his dream to help ensure that no child dies of Malaria.
Melvin
April 2021 Child of the Month
Melvin, age 9, and her siblings grew up in a small thatched house in Lumakanda under the care of their grandfather. Melvin’s father worked in Eldoret about an hour from Lumakanda, so he would wake up early to go to work and come back late in the evening. Melvin and her brothers were young and could not take care of themselves, their father was unable to care for and live with them. Even so, he continued supporting his children together with their elderly grandfather.
Later, Melvin’s father, who provided the sole income, became sick and passed away. After his death, the grandfather was unable to provide for the children. This led to Melvin and her siblings moving to the streets to beg for assistance.
Okoa Toto has greatly helped Melvin as she now has a home, and is receiving three nutritious meals every day, a quality education and health care. Melvin is a sociable and determined young girl. Now in grade two, she is studying hard to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.
Ramsey
March 2021 Child of the Month
Ramsey, age 11, was the youngest of three children. He was raised in a small village on the outskirts of Lumakanda, where he lived with his grandmother and siblings while his mother went to look for a job elsewhere.
The mother is said to have gotten married where she had gone to search for employment, and during her marriage, she had two other children. Her husband did not want Ramsey because he was not his biological child. Therefore, Ramsey stayed with his grandmother. None of the family members knew where Ramsey’s biological father was.
Due to her age, Ramsey’s grandmother was not able to earn a living, provide for an education, nutritious meals and health care for both of them.
Although having been raised in difficult circumstances, Ramsey is sociable, hardworking and always willing to help. As a result of the support and education that he is receiving from Okoa Toto and his sponsor, Ramsey now believes that his dream of becoming a pilot will indeed come true.
Brightson
February 2021 Child of the Month
Now age 10, Brightson was raised by his grandmother in Lwandeti, a small village neighboring Lumakanda. His parents separated prior to his mother giving birth.
Brightson never knew his father, and his grandmother also never knew his whereabouts.
After six months, Brightson’s mother left home in search of a job in Nairobi, leaving him in the good care of his grandmother. Unfortunately, Brightson’s grandmother was older and unable to provide for his basic needs. The grandmother practiced small scale farming and became the family’s only source of income, not enough to cater for the whole family.
While living with his grandmother, Brightson was in and out of school due to the lack of money to pay tuition. Brightson also lacked nutritious meals and good health care.
Okoa Toto has positively changed Brightson’s life, allowing him to realize his hopes and dreams of becoming a lawyer. Brightson is now assured of full-time school, a healthy diet and good health care.
Abigael
January 2021 Child of the Month
This month we are delighted to feature Abigael. Abigael was born in the slums of Nairobi. She is ten years old and lived with her siblings and grandmother in a small village in Silungai in the outskirts of Lumakanda.
Abigael lost her mother immediately after birth. She has a twin brother named Victor. The only living parent is the father who is supposed to be responsible for Abigael and the sibling, however, the father is not capable of providing for his children.
Therefore, Abigael’s grandmother decided to rescue the children and lived with them in her small thatched house. The family lives in severe poverty.
At home, Abigael lacked nutritious meals. She was not able to attend school due to lack of school fees and she was weak because of poor health.
Since she came to Okoa Toto, she receives a healthy diet, goes to school because her school expenses are covered by Okoa Toto and she is now healthy. Okoa Toto has really transformed her life and she promises to work hard in school. She would like to be a doctor someday.