From the Ndovoini Plains to Kenyan Courts

As you sit across from Jacinta, you can’t help but notice the demeanor that she commands. An unspoken confidence that makes you lean in, curious to know her even more. When she speaks, her calm voice, precise words, and sharp eyes speak volumes about her.

“My name is Jacinta. I was born and raised in the Ndovoini community. I am the second born in a family of eight siblings.”

Jacinta grew up in Ndovoini, a dry and struggling region of Kenya, where families primarily depend on farming and livestock to survive. With seven siblings and only one parent providing, life was not easy. “Growing up in a family of eight children with only one breadwinner meant that resources were limited,” she recalls.

In her early years, education for her community was a luxury that seemed out of reach. Schools in her community were far away, resources were scarce, and her family struggled to even afford basic needs. “My early education was uncertain,” Jacinta shares. “The schools were very far from my place. I had to wake up very early to get there on time, and there were very limited resources in the school that I went to then.”

However, everything changed when Missions of Hope International (MOHI) came to Ndovoini. “It was such a relief for us, for myself, for my siblings, and the entire community,” Jacinta says.

In 2009, Jacinta joined the Joska Center as a fifth-grader. “For once, I felt closer to resources,” she remembers. Her father, who was the area chief, had been very instrumental in welcoming MOHI to the Ndovoini community, and that connection would change Jacinta’s life forever.

At Joska, Jacinta discovered not only quality education but also mentorship, spiritual growth, and moral support. “I met people that believed in me. People that believed in my potential and an environment that was very peaceful,” she explains. One of the great people in her life, alongside her teachers, was her sponsor.

Jacinta speaks of her sponsor with deep gratitude. “She chose me, she chose a child that she didn’t know and decided to sponsor them like their own daughter. She invested in me without knowing what will come of it in the future. And for that, I am forever grateful.”

For Jacinta, sponsorship meant more than an assurance of schooling. It meant love, belonging, being seen, chosen, and hope. “I remember those days when I used to write letters and my sponsor would respond. It made me feel like somebody out there, somebody that didn’t know me, cared for me deeply and loved me unconditionally.”

Those letter exchanges built Jacinta’s confidence and strengthened her resolve to dream bigger. She worked hard.

Beyond academics, Joska became like home, a place where her faith grew. “I thank God for the opportunity because I got to know Him more and became closer to Him through the frequent devotions we had in the school,” Jacinta says. Our Bible study sessions deepened my foundation and made me realize that anything without God would be impossible.

It was also at school that Jacinta’s career dream began to take shape. Inspired by her head teacher, and her family social worker, she recalls being asked one day, “Do you want to become a lawyer?” That simple question sparked something in her. “From then, I knew I wanted to become a lawyer.”

Step by step, Jacinta pressed on, working towards her goal. She completed her primary education in 2012, proceeded to high school with MOHI’s support, and later joined the University of Nairobi to pursue her Bachelor of Laws degree. She graduated in 2023, joined the Kenya School of Law in 2024, and was officially admitted to the bar as an advocate of Kenya in 2025.

Her words now carry the weight of victory, “Now as an advocate in Kenya, I look forward to impacting people’s lives like mine was impacted through Missions of Hope International. I look forward to giving back to society and encouraging more children that even where there seems no hope, eventually hope can be found.”

From a little girl in the Ndovoini plains with limited access to education at the beginning, to a lawyer ready to advocate for others, Jacinta’s story is a clear picture of MOHI’s transformational work in disadvantaged communities.

And through it all, she never forgets her sponsor, who stood with her from her humble beginnings. “Meeting my sponsor personally was the greatest experience and opportunity. I thank her for investing and believing in me. MOHI restored my dignity, my confidence, and the chance to dream beyond my circumstances. They believed in me and transformed my destiny.”

One sponsor changed the course of Jacinta’s future. Today, another child is waiting for that same opportunity — for someone to believe in them and help open the door to education, discipleship, and a brighter tomorrow. You can be the one who helps make it happen. Sponsor a child today and help transform a life for eternity.