Achungo is frequently asked by Education Ministry and school administrators throughout Kenya about the “secret” behind their academic success and exemplary student discipline. The key has nothing to do with enforcement imposed on the students but rather lies in a deeply held mission shared by staff and students alike. It is imparted to new teachers … Continued
8th Graders, November 2014 We have our first graduates!! In 2014 Achungo Educational Centre (the new name for the primary school that is part of Achungo Children’s Centre, Kenya), had its first 8th grade class. The next step in Kenya is secondary school (equivalent to high school in the U.S.) for the 4 years … Continued
Returning home one Saturday afternoon I found a basket at our door with $9.50 of cash and a note: “this is from our lemonade stand and it is for the orphans; from Neekie, Bella, Max, Grace, Fiona and Phillip“. I was floored! We live in a small neighborhood and I knew these kids were my … Continued
Last Thursday we presented to the student body at The Trinity School, a private preschool and primary in Menlo Park. They have been a sort of sister school to Achungo since early 2011 when 5th grader and friend, Karen Rader, brought Achungo to her class as a 5th grade service project. Here Karen is presenting … Continued
Michael Nyangi, Founder and Kenyan Director of Achungo Children’s Center, made his first trip to California this year. This was a long awaited, long-planned visit to connect with his many supporters and for many more to hear his incredible story (see the prior post for his story). He arrived on Wednesday, November 28 and stayed … Continued
Michael Nyangi, the founder and Kenyan Director for Achungo Children’s Center, is making his first trip to the Bay Area in late November (2012). Below are some of the events planned. You should consider attending and meeting this incredible man who grew up a poor orphan, was sponsored through college and then, forgoing a lucrative … Continued
On our first trip to Kenya (October 2010) we realized that there was an urgent need at Achungo for more land. We have by now purchased the new site, fenced it and have begun construction. But I’m getting ahead of my story. In 2008 Saratoga Federated Church purchased a well for Achungo Children’s Center and … Continued
The school of Achungo was born in 2005 as Director Michael Nyangi had recruited 2 widows with hearts for orphans who began to work with him both by taking care of orphans (along with their own children) and beginning to teach those who were unable to attend school due to cost. Although Primary School (K-8) … Continued
In 2010, after 2 years of supporting the food program at Achungo, Samaritan’s Purse encouraged us to undertake a project that might move us toward self-sufficiency. We had experimented a little with farming, so wrote a proposal for farming 11 acres which was then funded for the 2 planting seasons of 2010-2011 and has now … Continued
In August we began fundraising in earnest to purchase land and begin building out the Achungo school campus. We have learned from Michael Nyangi, our Kenyan Founder/Director, that land nearby our current parcel is available and he has verified title and cost. Total cost is $9,500 including fees and fencing (for a bit over 1/2 … Continued
As if I needed it, I got further acknowledgement of the various and real benefits of the model that Michael created in Achungo. I finished reading a book called “The Urban Halo” by Craig Greenfield about his experience helping HIV/AIDS orphans in Cambodia. Craig did a lot of research (UNICEF, UNAIDS, USAID, Yale University … Continued