Sponsor a child.
Change a life.
Eastminster partners with two amazing ministries in Kenya caring for orphans and children vulnerable to extreme poverty. We connect you with one child to support financially and to cultivate a relationship with—exchanging letters, praying for each other. Donations to not go directly to a child, but help fund the entire ministry which cares for each child.
Want to know more? Select the type of sponsorship you’re interested in:
Tumaini & Huruma
How much does it cost? Basic sponsorships are $30 a month, and may be paid monthly ($30), quarterly ($90), or annually ($360).
Can I choose who I want to sponsor? We can work with you to choose a child of specific age or gender, if desired.
Where does the money go? Sponsorship fees go toward Tumaini Children’s Ministry overall, not to a specific child. The ministry uses the funds to help pay for the following:
- School fees. Public school in Kenya is not free (like in the United States). In order to attend public school, children must purchase uniforms, shoes and books.
- Shelter. Maintenance of the dormitories on the campuses of Tumaini and Huruma.
- Food. The ministry provides three nutritious meals a day for the children.
- Clothes. The tailoring and shoe-making departments on the grounds of Tumaini make (and repair) the clothes and shoes for the children. Sponsorship dollars are used to purchase supplies and pay the workers.
- Medical care. The children of Tumaini and Huruma are treated for illness at Sugarbaker Medical Clinic, a part of the Tumaini Ministry.
Who handles the money? The sponsorship program is administered by Eastminster Presbyterian Church. Sponsorship funds are dispersed to Tumaini Children’s Ministry through The Outreach Foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Outreach Foundation deducts a 10% administration fee to help support their overall ministry; the rest of your donation goes directly to Tumaini and Huruma. All donations are tax deductible, and will be included in your yearly Eastminster giving summary.
Can I communicate with my sponsored child? Yes! Writing letters or sending emails to your sponsor child is a wonderful way to connect with your sponsor child. See “Letter Writing Guidelines” info sheet.
How long does a sponsorship last? Child sponsorship is a long-term commitment. Ideally, sponsorship will last until your child graduates from Form 4 (12th grade in high school). So the length of the sponsorship depends on your sponsor child’s year in school. You will receive payment reminders according to the payment option you choose – monthly, quarterly or yearly. We understand situations change, and if you can no longer sponsor your child, let us know and we will do our best to find another sponsor to take your place.
Tell me more about Tumaini and Huruma. Tumaini & Huruma are two children’s homes located about 2 miles apart in Central Kenya. The Tumaini Children’s Ministry was founded in 1997 by the Riamukurwe Parish, a cluster of eight Presbyterian Churches outside of Nyeri, as a daytime feeding program for destitute children in the area. It has grown into a larger ministry which include two separate homes:
- Tumaini Home: In 2003 the church opened the doors of the Tumaini Home, a beautiful three-story building to house the children full time. It is currently home to around 140 children. The ministry also has a large dining hall, an on-site tailoring program, which trains students as well as produces garments and school uniforms; a shoe-making program that makes and repairs school shoes; and a computer program that teaches computer skills to the older students, an e-Learning Center that teaches computer skills to graduate students and students in the local community for a small fee, and an on-site bread-making business that sells bread to area schools in addition to feeding the children in the homes.
- Huruma Home: About 2 miles away is a smaller home called Huruma, which was was taken over by to the ministry about 10 years ago. When the Parish discovered that this formerly state-run home had been severely neglected, and that the children housed there were in jeopardy, they took over the administration to improve the living conditions for the residents. Huruma now houses more than 60 primary and secondary school students, as well as six adults with disabilities, who were its original residents. Recent mission projects have focused on structural improvements to Huruma, including a new irrigation system, as well as the addition of study room and annex to house several disabled adults at the home.
Kenya Connection Field Kids
How much does it cost? Kenya Connection Field Kid sponsorships are $30 a month, and may be paid monthly ($30), quarterly ($90), or annually ($360).
Can I choose who I want to sponsor? We can work with you to choose a child of specific age or gender, if desired.
Where does the money go? Sponsorship fees go toward:
- School fees. Public school in Kenya is not free (like in the United States). In order to attend public school, children must purchase uniforms, shoes and books.
- Food and clothing. The ministry provides a monthly food supplement for the child’s family and will help with clothing as needed
- Monthly Connection Days. Once a month, KCK brings together all 170 field kids at 4 different locations to check on school attendance, physical health, provide counseling and to communicate with guardians.
Who handles the money? The sponsorship program is administered by Mars Hill Presbyterian Church. Checks are sent directly to Mars Hill, which then dispurses funds to KCK. All donations are tax deductible.
Can I communicate with my sponsored child? Yes! Writing letters or sending emails to your sponsor child is a wonderful way to connect with your sponsor child. See “Letter Writing Guidelines” info sheet.
How long does a sponsorship last? Child sponsorship is a long-term commitment. Ideally, sponsorship will last until your child graduates from Form 4 (12th grade in high school). So the length of the sponsorship depends on your sponsor child’s year in school. You will receive payment reminders according to the payment option you choose – monthly, quarterly or yearly. We understand situations change, and if you can no longer sponsor your child, let us know and we will do our best to find another sponsor to take your place.
Tell me more about Kenya Connection Kids. KCK is ministry located in Chuka, Kenya, south of Mt. Kenya. It comprises two permanent residential homes housing 28 children, and a monthly ‘Field Program’ for kids who have a parent or guardian, but are extremely needy. These children are from very poor homes and would likely not be able to attend school or have enough to eat if it weren’t for KCK’s program. KCK was founded by Humphrey Kanga and Mars Hill Presbyterian Church. A Vocational Training School is currently being built to offer further training to help ensure a solid future for KCK graduates as well as others in the community. For more information about KCK, click here.
Educational Sponsorships
What is it? An opportunity to give a bright student a chance to pursue a higher degree (certificate or diploma), so they can become successful, self-sufficient members of the community and break the poverty cycle. Programs could be at a university, college or technical school, or through Tumaini’s onsite eLearning program affiliated with Presbyterian University of East Africa.
How much does it cost? Costs range from $1000-$3000 total depending on the degree being sought. Sponsorship can be paid per term, per year, or per degree.
Can I choose who I want to sponsor? Tumaini Children’s Ministry identifies candidates for this sponsorship based on academic achievement and promise. It may be possible to choose to sponsor a student with a particular career path, depending on candidate availability.
Where does the money go? Sponsorship fees cover tuition, room & board (if applicable) and personal needs for the length of the program.
Who handles the money? The educational sponsorship program is administered by Eastminster Presbyterian Church. Sponsorship funds are dispersed to Tumaini Children’s Ministry through The Outreach Foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Outreach Foundation deducts a 10% administration fee to help support their overall ministry; the rest of your donation goes directly toward the student’s education. All donations are tax deductible.
Can I communicate with the student? Yes! Writing letters or sending emails to your student is a wonderful way to connect with the student. See “Letter Writing Guidelines” info sheet.