Patmos School offers more than an education to students in grades pre-K through 9th grade in the Mathare Slum of Nairobi, Kenya. It provides Christ-centered counseling, nutritious meals, medical care, and safe haven to orphaned and vulnerable children living in one of Africa’s largest and poorest slums. The goal of Patmos is to break the cycle of poverty that pervades the community.

The children attending Patmos Junior School face unspeakable conditions; they are the victims of gross poverty, crime, violence and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Unemployment is high in Mathare Slum, and 80% of people survive on casual jobs. As a result, many young children are left unattended during the day while parents are seeking work. The public schools are severely congested and most people cannot afford to send their children to private schools. Patmos provides a safe haven and opportunity for orphaned and vulnerable children to have access to a Christian education, healthcare, and two meals daily.

Orphan Outreach partners with Patmos, providing strategic planning, best-practice expertise, and support for staff salaries, food, curriculum and books, school supplies, and more. We have also assisted with the purchase of both classrooms and property so that more children may be served by the ministry. Support is provided through sponsorships and church partnerships, and mission teams offer teaching, mentorship, and community outreach to the families of students.

Patmos School was started in 2007 by Headmaster Richard Wanjala and a group of dedicated local community members residing in Mathare Slum. Mathare is considered to be one of the largest and poorest slums in Africa. It is home to more than half a million people, of which 300,000 are children.

Meet the Children at Patmos School