Ndoto: For Africa's Future

10/20/2026

We're most of the way through the day on Heroes Day 2026, and so far you have been amazingly supportive. Since we emailed yesterday that our Board of Directors had offered a 2:1 matching fund, the Ndoto family responded with $6,700 in donations, which triples to become over $20,000 for the ministry of Ndoto.

That used most of the 2:1 match, but then another Board member stepped in to keep it going with another pledge, so now we can joyfully share that we still have nearly $7,000 in matching funds available. That means there is still ample opportunity for YOUR gift to be tripled in impact as well!

If you haven't had the chance to donate yet, there is still plenty of time. Make a donation or a pledge tonight and together we can keep Ndoto going as we continue our mission of education, discipleship, and development. We are proud of what God has done through us in Kenya and we believe He is calling us to so much more in the coming years!

A special thanks to the members of our Ndoto Board of Directors, who have worked hard to provide leadership to this ministry, and now have stepped up to offer $20,000 on top of their normal giving and sponsorship to help encourage others to give. They are a tremendous blessing to Ndoto and deserve recognition: Ken Towe, Chairman and Treasurer; Deanna Carrillo, Secretary; and Richard Ray, David Schroeder, Susan Damiano, and Ashley Bayless, members.

Give Here!

10/19/2026

Ask anyone who does something heroic, and they'll tell you the same thing: they aren't a hero, they just had the opportunity to do what needed to be done. They were in a hard circumstance, and they did the right thing, even when it wasn't easy.

We are finding heroes like that here at Ndoto. We're working in an ordinary city on the other side of the world, and ordinary people are walking through our gates. What we have found is that when we teach good character, provide time for mentorship, show God's deep love, remove obstacles, and then give them an opportunity to step up, many of them go beyond challenging circumstances to do amazing things.

For the past few weeks, we've been premiering four videos of exceptional people who almost certainly think of themselves as ordinary people. But they're our heroes because of what they're doing: serving the community, sharing their faith, finding their purpose, and overcoming adversity. And by the way, for the first time we are featuring videos entirely produced by another set of heroes of ours: our Kenyan staff.

This is a pivotal year for Ndoto. We are growing rapidly in Kenya, and for the first time our ministry in Kenya is led entirely by Kenyans. Sponsorship, sports, church, and school are making real change in not just hundreds of people's lives, but the very landscape of our community. You'd scarcely find someone in our entire city who hasn't heard of what Ndoto is doing.

This is the one time per year that we stop our regular communications to ask for your help to keep going. We've sent as much as possible to the front lines in Kenya, and now we need about $70,000 to meet our budget for the year. The good news is that we have already received gifts and pledges totaling over $42,000. There's no bad news, just more good news: our amazing Board of Directors has pledged an additional $17,500 as a 2:1 matching gift to help us reach the goal for all donations made before the end of the day Tuesday. That means your investment goes further—three times further.

We can reach the goal together. Donations or pledges made now through the end of the day Tuesday count toward the match and the goal. Let's make more heroes together!

Give Here!

10/16/2026

Hawi struggled with reading and writing after moving from a rural school to Ndoto Academy. But with a teacher who believed in him, patience, and encouragement, he gained confidence and began to thrive. Today, Hawi is a confident Grade 3 class representative, growing academically and inspiring others.

One of our core values is that sponsorship donations go entirely to Kenya for education and discipleship of our students. We won't take any portion out for US expenses, no matter how important the expense is. We don't even pull credit card fees out. That means we need to fundraise everything that keeps Ndoto going separately, and Heroes Day is the one time of year that we come to everyone and ask for help.

We know that you know it takes a lot of resources beyond the direct program expenses to keep an organization going. We keep our overhead very stripped down so that we can put as much as possible toward sponsorship, Ndoto Community Church, Ndoto Sports, and Ndoto Academy. So if you are inspired by what God is doing through us in Kenya, we are asking for your support to keep going.

https://ndoto.org/heroes-day/

We need about $70,000 this year by October 20th to stay on track. Every year we have made our goal, and we'll be honest that the need is great this year since we put extra effort last year into building the school. Will you join us again this year? Investments of all size make a difference on the ground, and typically half of our Heroes Day donations are $250 or less.

10/15/2026

The Angaza Program 2026 reached its milestone recently, culminating in an inspiring commissioning and graduation ceremony that marked the completion of an intensive, eight-month journey of growth and self-discovery for these high school graduates preparing for the next step.

Throughout this period, candidates engaged in a rigorous, values-based curriculum designed to nurture every dimension of their personal and professional lives. Guided by a diverse array of professionals across various industries, the students underwent comprehensive mentorship spanning critical career planning, practical life skills, and foundational discipleship. These sessions provided them with not only technical and strategic insights into the professional world, but also the moral anchor and resilience necessary to navigate an increasingly complex society.

The true highlight of the day, however, was witnessing joy and gratitude fill the atmosphere as each candidate received their certificates, standing tall as a demonstration of dedication and commitment. In their reflections, they shared how the program brought distinct clarity to their future pathways, dispelling former doubts about their higher education choices and replacing uncertainty with a firm sense of purpose and self-actualization.

As they step beyond this chapter, the 36 young leaders who received their certificates emerge truly prepared, anchored in strong values, equipped with essential life competencies, and possessing a clear vision for their careers. They transition into the next season of life with confidence, ready to impact their campuses and communities as self-assured and values-driven change makers.

10/14/2026

The journey toward academic excellence is rarely just about the books. Often, it is a quiet battle against the shadows of one’s past. At St. Stephen’s Menara High School, we met our sponsored student Abraham, who is now a senior. Despite a turbulent upbringing, Abraham is aiming for good grades and a career in nursing. This is in brave defiance of his turbulent upbringing.

Since his parents' divorce in 2014, his life has been a series of displacements. His self-esteem was steadily eroded, and the domestic burdens trickled into his classroom performance. Tobby, who helped to unearth these domestic weights that were unknowingly anchoring his academics, said, “You can only change what you have created.” While our students cannot rewrite their family’s history, they hold the pen for the chapters yet to come.

During our visit, Abraham’s narrative began to shift. Moved by the realization that his current circumstances are not his final destination, Abraham began to see his home situation not as a barrier, but as fuel. He spoke movingly of his desire to be the first in his family of five to reach college. His dream is to one day fly his mother to Nairobi for vacation, and he wants to build her a home in the village.

At school, Abraham leads the Kiswahili study group and has joined the Journalism club to hone his love of research. As he enters the final countdown to his national examinations, he does so with a lighter heart and a clearer vision, knowing that by focusing on his books today, he is creating the future that will finally change his home.

10/09/2026

Growing up in a slum community with limited opportunities, Brian once faced an uncertain path, but through Ndoto’s mentorship, faith, character development, and practical skills, Brian began to see himself not as someone limited by his circumstances, but as someone capable of creating change. Today, his modern agribusiness employs more than ten people, while he also creates paid opportunities for students and mentors young people interested in farming.

One of our core values is that sponsorship donations go entirely to Kenya for education and discipleship of our students. We won't take any portion out for US expenses, no matter how important the expense is. We don't even pull credit card fees out. That means we need to fundraise everything that keeps Ndoto going separately, and Heroes Day is the one time of year that we come to everyone and ask for help.

We know that you know it takes a lot of resources beyond the direct program expenses to keep an organization going. We keep our overhead very stripped down so that we can put as much as possible toward sponsorship, Ndoto Community Church, Ndoto Sports, and Ndoto Academy. So if you are inspired by what God is doing through us in Kenya, we are asking for your support to keep going.

https://ndoto.org/heroes-day/

We need about $70,000 this year by October 20th to stay on track, but we're off to a slow start this year. Every year we have made our goal, and we'll be honest that the need is great this year since we put extra effort last year into building the school. Will you join us again this year? Investments of all size make a difference on the ground, and typically half of our Heroes Day donations are $250 or less.

10/02/2026

Zeddy grew up in Ndoto, but his daily life was a struggle for survival. He found boxing as a way to focus his energies, but after an invitation, he had to figure out a new path: sports with Christ.

One of our core values is that sponsorship donations go entirely to Kenya for education and discipleship of our students. We won't take any portion out for US expenses, no matter how important the expense is. We don't even pull credit card fees out. That means we need to fundraise everything that keeps Ndoto going separately, and Heroes Day is the one time of year that we come to everyone and ask for help.

We know that you know it takes a lot of resources beyond the direct program expenses to keep an organization going. We keep our overhead very stripped down so that we can put as much as possible toward sponsorship, Ndoto Community Church, Ndoto Sports, and Ndoto Academy. So if you believe in what God is doing through us in Kenya, we are asking for your support to keep going.

https://ndoto.org/heroes-day/

We need about $70,000 this year to make our annual budget. Every year we have made our goal. Will you join us again this year?

09/25/2026

Salim Ayub is a young man who grew up questioning his faith, his purpose, and where he belonged. An invitation to Ndoto Community Church and then sponsorship for school changed the trajectory of his life.

One of our core values is that sponsorship donations go entirely to Kenya for education and discipleship of our students. We won't take any portion out for US expenses, no matter how important the expense is. We don't even pull credit card fees out. That means we need to fundraise everything that keeps Ndoto going separately, and Heroes Day is the one time of year that we come to everyone and ask for help.

We know that you know it takes a lot of resources beyond the direct program expenses to keep an organization going. We keep our overhead very stripped down so that we can put as much as possible toward sponsorship, Ndoto Community Church, Ndoto Sports, and Ndoto Academy. So if you believe in what God is doing through us in Kenya, we are asking for your support to keep going.

https://ndoto.org/heroes-day/

We need about $70,000 this year to make our annual budget. Every year we have made our goal. Will you join us again this year?

09/24/2026

It's a very sad day for the Ndoto family. We are heartbroken to share that one of our beloved staff members in Kisumu, Kefa Atieno, known to all as Balo, passed away suddenly today in an accident outside of work. We are grieving and our team is taking time to process. Incredibly, we just began shipping Ndoto annual reports to our US supporters this week, and right there on page 7, we featured a photo of Balo (at left, in blue). The joy on his face and the brotherhood on display in the photo tell you what you need to know about this young man.

Balo has been part of the Ndoto community for a long time. Born in Nairobi but raised in Obunga, Kisumu, he has been one of Ndoto Soccer Association's star players on the competitive senior team. He takes his nickname from Mario Balotelli, the talented Italian striker with whom he shares number 9 on the jersey. From there we recruited him to join our staff as a driver in February 2025. He has been driving one of the school vans as well as helping to provide transportation for our ministry and our visitors.

Balo wasn't just a striker and a driver, however. He was a joyful presence on our campus, always ready with a laugh and eager to play with our Ndoto Academy kids. He was a strong male role model to many in a place that can sometimes lack for that. Balo worked hard and played hard, and our team will not soon forget the shouts of "Balo Balo Balo!" from the sidelines of soccer matches and the joyful laughs on the playground of Ndoto Academy. We are so glad that Balo was part of our family for his time, and in this season of grieving we ask for your prayers for his family, our staff, and our Ndoto Academy schoolkids who all knew him. Several other young men were injured in the same accident, and we also ask for your prayers for their recovery.

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

09/04/2026

As we continue our mentorship program at Kudho Junior Secondary School, the local public school that we recently wrote about on this page, our team held a session focused on 1 Corinthians 15:33. Making right choices requires character and good friendships. Together with our learners we reflected on how the people we associate with influence our character, behavior, and decision-making. The discussion helped to recognize positive and negative influences, understand the consequences of decisions, and appreciate the importance of building healthy friendships based on honesty, respect, and trust.