Continuing Education, Bungoma, Kenya

Your support has helped prepare Welton, an alumnus of the ACK Madeleine School, for independence. Only 3.5% of Kenyans have a university degree. For a child growing up in the farthest western regions of rural Kenya, the odds of going to university are even smaller. Thanks to your support, Welton will be graduating with a law degree in December 2024! His goal is to provide legal help for kids at risk. Welton says the support he has received “…has transcended mere financial assistance; it has been the catalyst for a transformative experience that will resonate through my lifetime...

I possess the tools to effect positive change in my life and the lives of others.” 

More about the Continuing Education Scholarship Program in Kenya:

Only 3.5% of Kenyans receive degrees from a university and 7% have certificates from vocational-technical schools.

Students who have attended ACK Madeleine School and Patmos School excel at advancement to high school. It is projected that up to 80% of the alumni from these two schools will have the potential to continue their education at the university or vocational-technical level.  

Geographic and financial access to universities and vocational-technical schools is a significant challenge, especially for Kenyan young adults living in rural and marginalized areas. Housing, meals, and transportation can make the opportunity out of reach for the majority of Kenyans who earn less than $1 a day. 

The Orphan Outreach Continuing Education Scholarship Program provides a pathway for young adults to attend university or vocational-technical school with tuition and housing support, school supplies, and food. Up to four years of sliding-scale support is available, based on the specific educational goals of the student. 

Dar-Ul-Fazl and Rainbow School, Manali, India

Manoj was raised in the Dar-Ul-Fazl (DUF) children’s home until he was 18. After leaving the orphanage, he received both a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Education. He is now pursuing a Master of Environmental Science. Not only is he living a successful, independent adult life, Manoj has moved back to serve the children at DUF. He teaches at the Rainbow School, and he also provides mentorship for older boys who live at DUF. The staff and children at DUF recently celebrated Manoj’s wedding, right on the orphanage grounds. Manoj has gone from an orphaned child living at DUF to a Christian leader giving back to other orphans. He is a successful teacher and husband who finds joy in investing in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children just like him.

More about Dar-Ul-Fazl:

House of Grace (Dar-Ul-Fazl) is a private Christian home serving children who are orphaned or at risk due to abuse, neglect, or extreme poverty. The home provides complete physical, emotional, and spiritual care for both children and young adults. Located on the same property, Rainbow School opens its doors to both the children from House of Grace and to those living in the neighboring community. The school teaches preschool through 8th grade and has been lauded for its commitment to educational excellence.

Meet Dasha

Dasha was placed in an orphanage at the tender age of 11 when her mother died and her father’s parental rights were terminated. After so much loss, transitioning to orphanage life was yet another traumatic experience. When she aged out of the government-run Russian orphanage at age 18, she was one of the first young adults to join our Russia Aging Out Program. Many orphans in Russia are unable to navigate life outside of an institution. Dasha has received emotional, spiritual, and financial support through the years—cooking classes, help navigating university, support with apartment costs, parenting classes, and so much more. Our Orphan Outreach Russia staff has walked tirelessly with Dasha for years as she navigated many difficult situations. We have seen her grow from a child into a successful adult and mother.

Dasha is now 30 years old and thanks God for the blessing of a daughter of her own. She has a college degree and is working as a manager in a construction company. “Today I can firmly stand on my own two feet,” she says. “I know that whatever happens, I can provide for my daughter Lyera’s every need.” Lyera is Dasha’s pride and joy and is entering third grade this year. Dasha says she is thankful to God for His goodness and that Lyera gets to enjoy the childhood innocence that she never had.

Dasha’s success in independent life is a testament to your generosity and the faithful care of the Orphan Outreach Russia staff. After years of support and mentorship to prepare her for independence, Dasha is now “graduating” from our program. “Thank you so much for being with me since the day of my aging out from the orphanage and for supporting my family,” reflects Dasha. “…I don’t have enough words to describe my gratitude.”

More about the Aging Out Program in Russia: 

The need for quality support for children who are orphaned doesn’t end when those children age out of traditional care. Young adults who age out of orphanages in Russia face unsure futures, and without personalized care, the odds of a thriving adult life are not in their favor. Orphan Outreach began our aging out program in 2009, after spending time with the young men and women to understand their needs, dreams, and very real fears. 

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