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A refugee community, forced out of their homes as a result of tribal conflicts back in the nineties, struggles thirty years later with poverty and hopelessness. However, the people of Echariria, a small village in Mbaruk, Nakuru, Kenya, are not lost or forgotten. After a tragedy in the community that resulted in the loss of a nine-year-old life by suicide, some good neighbors came to lend support. 

Frecia Kamau, A woman from a neighboring village in Mbaruk, along with her two sons and two sisters, began sacrificing so that no other child would die of hopelessness. One of Frecia's sisters, Ruth Ngethe, of Peabody, MA, partnered with Frecia and sacrificially began sending her own money as Frecia began cooking daily lunches for the poorest children. Ruth started to share the need with friends, while Frecia recruited her friend Eunice and son Solomon to help cook and serve the children. In a short time, Ruth and some friends were sending a few hundred dollars a month to add to the produce that Frecia was providing from her farm. 

A small group of neighbors, some a few kilometers away and some a few thousand miles away, began reshaping the future of the Echariria community. 

Ruth, a faithful Christian woman, would eventually bring the need to her church community - Center Church of Peabody, MA. This was a small congregation whose pastor, Rev.Eliezer Perez, worked diligently to revive after its near closing because of the 2020 global pandemic. He and his family moved to the area in December 2020, when only a few families remained, including the Ngethe's. A little over a year later, in early 2022, Pastor Eliezer began to support the project through the small church's missions budget. Center Church started sending $500/month, allowing Frecia and the team to cook enough to feed 100-150 students daily. For the entire year, Pastor Eliezer prayed with Ruth and Frecia for other partners to help shoulder the load and eventually feed the whole school population. 

In November of 2022, another critical connection would be made. Rev. Charles Rukwaro, the Executive Director of Good Hope Inc., based in neighboring Lynnfield, MA, would join the team. Rev. Rukwaro is a Kenyan native whose family lives in Nakuru, about 30 kilometers from the school. Good Hope Inc. would prove to be the perfect partner for this operation. Together, Eliezer and Charles would travel to Nakuru. There, they met with the school and community leaders and formed a joint bank account to solidify the partnership and streamline the project. Center Church funds the project, Good Hope acts as a fiscal sponsor covering the project, and Frecia and her team budget, shop, cook, and serve the children.

Today, this partnership serves 350 meals daily to the youngest and poorest children and teachers. This work results in better attendance, participation, learning, and healthier child development. The teachers can spend more time building up, and the families are more inclined to keep their children in school. Along with food, the partnership has brought hygiene and self-care training, provided reusable sanitary pads for young ladies, and other resources for the children to use and enjoy. Because of this partnership, the work is staffed and paid without taxing the community.

Currently Raising Funds for:

Storehouse: $14,000

Ovens & Pots: $2,500

Kitchen Roof & Rain Collector: $3,500

Please join us in prayer for the children and families of Echariria.

Consider donating to Center Church or Good Hope Inc., towards the work of empowering the Echariria community.