Student Stories

by Allison Schlack Justice. It’s a popular word. Millennials love it. Youth groups use it. Organizations make it their mission statement. It’s mentioned in Scripture. It’s a characteristic of God. Beautiful. Difficult. Implies wrongdoing and struggle. Overused (by me, too). And not seen often in our part of the world. So that’s what makes the following story all the more stunning… Mama Bon works with many of Ndoto’s youngest students I first heard of Alice when her younger brother joined Ndoto a few years ago as one of our new students.

by Fred Sadia This is not a story about the Los Angeles basketball team landing in Africa, but rather it’s a story of young Ndoto girls and boys who go to a school called Lake Primary here in Kisumu. They acquired the name Lakers as a result of the love they have for each other and their resolve to remain united as a team. It’s a team composed of nine members: Purity (sponsored by Linda S.) and Georgina (sponsored by Richard & Chris T.), both of whom are in the 8th grade.

James is a perfect example of why we sponsor the students we do. He heard of Ndoto seven years ago and received a sponsorship in 2012 to go to high school. James is sponsored by Tim & Donna T. “Before joining, life was never easy on any side,” James told us last month. “I lost my dad when we were still young – I was in first grade. The memory is still fresh in my mind.

By Fred Sadia Two years ago as an Ndoto student, I was part of the Ndoto family that attended the burial ceremony of a fellow sponsored student who had passed away as a result of a football injury. The air at the burial grounds was engulfed in a somber mood. Family, friends, and relatives were all mourning the loss of a loved one. But in that cloud of gloom, there was a ray of hope.

I was an Ndoto student by the grace of God. I graduated last December with a Bachelors Degree in Economics and Finance from Kenyatta University. I was born and raised in the Obunga slum in Kisumu, Kenya. I got sponsored by Ndoto in 2010, when I was joining high school. Life was not easy before I got a sponsorship. Most people believed that nothing good could come from a slum. I am glad that I can stand firm and give a testimony: Ndoto saw an opportunity for something good from this slum.