Hello from Kenya!
Missions of Hope International (MOHI) hopes this message finds you well in the Lord. As we take a moment to look back on 2023, we express gratitude to God for another incredible year marked by His mercy and grace. We are excited to present our year-end report, showcasing the remarkable achievements, growth, and impactful projects that occurred throughout the year. We give thanks to God, to our dedicated staff and to our devoted supporters and partners who help make the work possible.
At MOHI, we provided an excellent Christian education, nutritious food, accessible medical care and the opportunity to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ to more than 26,700 children in urban and rural disadvantaged communities. These efforts helped break the cycle of extreme poverty, making positive impacts in the lives of the students, their families and their communities.
2023 Education Quick Stats:
- 35 schools in Kenya
- 1 school in Liberia (with a second school waiting to be built)
- 26,700+ students
- 9.6+ million meals served
- 2,033 students received new sponsorships
- 4,671 students graduated from kindergarten, primary school, high school and college
- 40 students received loans for higher education
Test Scores:
We continued to strive for educational excellence by preparing our students for their high school exit exam. In Kenya, the students who sit for this exam are known as "candidates." One of our candidates, from our Madoya center, scored 411 (the nation's top score was 428) on his exit exam. This is a testament to the great potential of the children living in disadvantaged communities.
Spelling Bee:
This year over 200 students from 26 of our schools across Kenya participated in the Grade 5 Spelling Bee competition. This was a great way for the students to interact with one another, learn about their diverse cultures and help sharpen their English language skills. You might be surprised to know that for most students in our school, English is their third language. Most students learn their mother language (the language associated with the tribe they are from), then Swahili and then English.
Spelling Bee Competition
Mentorship Program:
At MOHI, one of our desires is to send well equipped, Christian leaders into the world. That's why we developed a comprehensive mentorship program to help our students transition into new seasons of their education. These programs are essential in ensuring that our students keep motivated to pursue an education, pursue their dreams and realize the transformative impact they can have in their communities.
Mentorship Program Participants
During the transition from elementary school to high school our mentorship program takes our eighth grade students through journeys of self discovery and encourages them to find their identity in Jesus. Through this program, character is cultivated. The students also come to realize that they are not isolated and that they have a network of support and mentors to turn to whenever they encounter challenges.
During the transition from high school to college, our high school graduate programs help our students decide what colege to attend and what career to pursue. In 2023, more than 100 of our 12th grade students participated in a career expo at our Pangani center to seek guidance and counseling in selecting a career path. It is great to have the opportunity for guidance in making such a significant life choice.
New Centers:
God continues to call MOHI to new communities, asking us to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ with those in need.
The Chumani Center, located near the Kenyan coast, about 265 miles from Nairobi, began with a church plant in 2022. The people of Chumani were hungry for the word of God and the church grew rapidly. Soon after, the community began asking for a school that would teach their children about Jesus and provide a quality education. As a result, the Chumani school was established and opened on the 28th of August 2023. The school already serves more than 430 students, with 270 on the waiting list! The school is still using the church hall and other temporary structures, as we trust God for permanent structures.
Our Mabatini Center was recently updated to accommodate a day high school. The Mabatini building, which is now the largest building among all of the MOHI schools, was launched on the 5th of December 2023 with a joyous ceremony. Currently, the high school has 79 students and 7 staff members.
Mabatini Center
Molo Turi High School officially opened on the 13th of February 2023 and is our third center in Molo. The school serves 215 students.
Updated Centers:
In addition to opening new centers, MOHI has also been making improvements to already existing centers. For example, our Baba Dogo Center received a borehole (water well). This borehole supplies the school with clean water.
At our Namarei Center, we constructed new restroom facilities, a perimeter fence and an entrance gate. These updates have improved the life in Namarei for our students and staff.
Ndovoini Center
This year we equipped the centers in Area 2, Baba Dogo, Kosovo, Mabatini, Mathare North, Pangani, and Turkana High with all that they need to pursue science studies. These science labs allow our students access to what they need to cultivate their individual talents.
Science Lab at Pangani
2023 Economic Empowerment Quick Stats:
- $950,497 in loans disbursed
- 92% repayment rate
- 10,615 microloan clients
- 522 skills training graduates
- 11 skills courses offered
MOHI Technical Training Institute Graduates
Skills Training:
522 participants graduated from our MOHI Technical Training Institute in Kariobangi. They received diplomas and certificates in fields such as motor mechanics, electrical wiring, plumbing, welding, social work and community development, baking and culinary, accountancy, fashion and design, hairdressing and beauty, knitting and computer studies.
Sustainability:
One exciting sustainability project at MOHI has been the farming at our center in Olturot. Olturot is one of Kenya's most remote and marginalized communities. The desert climate is hot and dry. But, in a place where nothing seems likely to grow, our Olturot Center is growing vegetables!
The Farm at Olturot
Some of our students had never seen vegetables such as kale, tomatoes or sukuma wiki (collard greens) grow. These vegetables are used in the meals that we prepare for the students, reducing the amount of produce we need to purchase. Additionally, the ability to grow produce has even inspired some of the community members to become farmers, which supports MOHI’s goal of creating more sustainable communities.
Farms at our other centers also continue to grow food, increasing our sustainability.
AT MOHI, we are holistic. We share the whole gospel for the whole person. And, part of being whole means being healthy. That's why our health initiatives advance physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual health.
2023 Health Quick Stats:
- 34,947 served at the outpatient clinics and during medical camps
- 24,130 students received medical care
- 4,665 community members received medical care
- 6,152 consultations were conducted for staff members.
- 8,260 students were screened for malnutrition
New Clinics:
In 2023, we successfully established two new clinics at our Kargi and Napuu Centers, both of which are located in Kenya’s Northern, remote, desert region. These communities lack adequate access to healthcare and often resort to traditional medicine for various health issues. The introduction of these clinics has been transformative, improving the quality of life in these communities and ensuring that medical care can be accessed.
Health Screenings:
During our health screenings, our students received a variety of healthcare services. One student from Namarei successfully underwent eye surgery. This is was a life-changing procedure that the child would not have had access to without the help of MOHI’s health program. The surgery was an answer to prayer.
MOHI Health Screening
Hunger Relief:
Consistent food remains a significant challenge for the children and families we serve. It's not uncommon for these families to skip meals or go to bed hungry. Without the intervention of MOHI and help from our partners, many of our students wouldn't know when their next meal would be.
Student with a Food Basket
In 2023, churches, individuals, and healthcare professionals gave out over 5,000 food baskets to support families in need. The immeasurable joy on their faces when we addressed this essential need was truly heartwarming.
Jesus Christ is our source of hope. In all we do, we seek to draw men, women, and children to Him. That's why, as we meet the physical needs of our students, their families and whole communities, we also focus on nourishing the soul through the abundant life found in Christ. Our staff views every opportunity for connection as an opportunity to share Christ’s love so others may know Him personally.
2023 Spiritual Development Quick Stats:
- 2,842 baptisms
- 999 students gave their lives to Jesus during Ignite services.
- 200 people were impacted by a community outreach mission in Namarei where 15 of them gave their lives to Jesus.
- 2,268 students attended Angaza Discovery Camp
Angaza Discovery Camp:
In Kilifi, located on the beautiful East African coast, we've established Angaza Discovery Camp, a Christian discipleship camp for all MOHI sixth-grade students. It's a two-week, intentional experience where our students have the opportunity to connect with God, each other, and themselves. Angaza also focuses on creation care. Our sixth grade students planted 200 species of trees including mangrove trees in our coastal region. The students were also involved in beach clean-up projects. We love that our students are learning to make the world a better place for years to come.
Campers at Angaza Discovery Camp
Sports Ministry:
Our sports ministry has been integral to our mission to bring the love of Jesus to the communities we serve. The sports turf in Baba Dogo has given us the opportunity to minister to not only the students but to the community members who come to play soccer or watch a match. As a result over 9,400 students have been impacted through sports outreach and 229 committed their lives to Jesus through this ministry.
Baba Dogo Sports Complex
Spiritual Development Training:
Over the years, God has led MOHI to serve in diverse communities where we encounter a variety of religious beliefs. In 2023, our teachers and social workers underwent additional trainings regarding outreach methods to those of the Islamic faith, ensuring a respectful, caring, and impactful approach.
In 2023, our pastors, their wives, and social workers underwent training on various topics including leadership, trauma counseling, new believer engagement, and more. Our leaders, teachers and social workers also went through training sessions regarding effectiveness and compassion.
Pastors Retreat:
The MOHI church plant pastors and their wives were able to attend a retreat on the coast of Kenya. This was a time of prayer, praise and development; however, it was also a time of renewal. As it was for so many, COVID was a challenging time for our church plants and their leaders. This retreat provided a time of rest and reinvigorated the pastors to continue in their work.
Church Plants:
The church plant ministry at MOHI sees growth each year and, praise God, 2023 was no different.
We planted two new churches in different parts of the country. We planted Outreach Hope Church in the Kavombo community which, serves the community around our Joska and Ndovoini centers.
Outreach Hope Church - Kavombo
We also planted Outreach Hope Church Dandora. This church serves the community near our Korogocho centers. Dandora is a large, vulnerable community that is a target for ministry work. The church plant provides our students and others a place to attend Sunday school.
At MOHI, we love when our partners are able to visit! Your visits are an incredible encouragement to our students, staff and the communities we serve. Through VBS, community evangelism, medical camps, construction projects, staff training and student conferences, our partners helped accomplish great things for those in need. You are always welcome to Kenya and we look forward to seeing you again and again.
2023 Partnership Quick Stats:
- 870 short term trip participants
- 75 different groups
Short-Term Team Taking Sponsored Children on a Field Trip
Dr. Wallace and Mary Kamau
Founders and Leaders, MOHI
As we reflect on 2023, we are thankful to God, His provision, and the opportunities he has provided. We are also grateful for your continued prayers and your steadfast support. As we continue our mission to transform lives through the hope of Christ, we are excited about what we will accomplish, together, in 2024!
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