kelly | Light Up Hope Africa

Hard work and a heart for people pays off for a young woman in our WOVEN program

May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 kellyUncategorized

Hello, my name is Loice Makari Oloo aged 23 years old. Thank you so much for granting me this opportunity to tell you my story. I grew up as an orphan under my uncle’s guidance. I am the only child in my family. Though my uncle has a family of three children who I comfortably consider as my younger siblings, he really struggled hard as a casual worker to ensure that I successfully completed my primary education in 2016, where I scored 353 marks out of 500 marks. After my exemplary KCPE results, the school Deputy Headmaster got me a chance to join the late Mama Priscah Atieno Oulo’s Orphanage. Honestly she was my powerful guardian who really nurtured me to be a lady of integrity up to now. It was through this Orphanage that I got the opportunity to be picked by LUH for WOVEN sponsorship in 2020, having attained a mean grade of C plain with 45 points. I am a student at Kenya Utalii College and I am pursuing a course in Hospitality Management, specializing in Food, Beverage Service and Sales. I find the course very interesting because I like interacting with different people while collaborating with […]

From loss to opportunity, Molly’s Story

May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 kellyUncategorized

Molly Akinyi is an orphan born in Bondo Municipality of Siaya County. She is the second born in a family of two. Their father and mother died when they were in their lower Primary School. After the death of their mother, the girls were adopted by their aunt who lives in Umoja 3 estate of Nairobi. For now she sells rolled fried pancakes (chapati) in the estate. Life is not easy for the aunt as a single mother with 3 children and 2 adopted nieces. The family relies on porridge in the morning and a simple lunch of corn meal and kale or cabbage. It was joyful for Molly and the aunt to receive news in January 2020 about an organization looking for orphans who have scored a mean grade of B and from deserving homes. She was well known in the village and the chief identified her immediately. Light Up Hope gave her a full scholarship where she was enrolled in Mbitini Girls High school. This was news no one could believe. She is happy that from the time she joined the program, Molly has never missed school. She attends from the first to the closing day. She has […]

Now Hiring – USA Development Director

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023 kellyUncategorized

Light Up Hope seeks a full-time passionate and growth oriented Development Director to head our ongoing fundraising needs. Reporting to the President and will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to shape and implement an effective fundraising strategy, with a particular focus on growing new earned revenue and corporate partnerships. This professional must have an established background in coordinating nonprofit donation strategies and grant writing. Our ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three – five years of fundraising development experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector and a passion for resourcing nonprofit organizations with transformational funding opportunities. Willingness to travel to Kenya to see programs in action. Responsibilities: Qualifications We offer a base salary, $60k-$70k based on experience, with the potential to earn a 10% bonus of your base pay. This is a fully remote position. At this time we do not offer any medical or 401K benefits. Please note we will accept applications from the United States however, priority will be given to those residing in the Denver metro area. To apply, please send the following to Kelly@lightuphope.org with Development Director in the subject line: – A cover letter outlining why you are interested […]

Annual Report 2022 Published

January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 kellyUncategorized

Light Up Hope is happy to announce our annual general report has been published. This report highlights the work which was completed by Light Up Hope in 2022, including program successes and funding received.

A Little Bit of Hope in Uncertain Times

April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 kellyUncategorized

In a typical month, Light Up Hope provides food assistance to about 340 children in the slums of Nairobi. 330 receive school day breakfast and lunch and about 10 kids receive monthly food packets. When the Kenyan government closed schools due to the coronavirus outbreak we suddenly found ourselves having to be creative with food distribution because the LAST thing we want is for children to go hungry as we face this global crisis. This past week we managed to use our typical budget for our school feeding program to provide food packets of dry food to our primary students and their families. These packets consisted of staples like maize flour, sugar, cooking oil, porridge and soap and are intended to supplement the family food supplies for one month per student. These packets are essential in this time because all of our primary students come from families who are day laborers and much of the work they would usually perform, such as cleaning clothes or working in a factory, has been shut down due to social distancing measures. Additionally, food prices are rising in Kenya by approximately 25-30%. Our primary school and LIFT families are the most at risk during […]