Our Mission
We assist Kenyan students and their families as they rise out of poverty.
Two organizations, on two sides of the world, pursuing one mission.
We are Friends of Kenya Rising, an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We exist to support our partner United Kenya Rising (UKR) and its Family Care program.
We offer financial, technical, and other support to UKR in Kakamega, Kenya. In turn, they work tirelessly to assist vulnerable families rising out of poverty.
UKR’s staff, leadership, and board members are all Kenyan. The Family Care program that they run is locally- developed and locally-led. We work hand-in-hand with UKR to see the program evolve, grow, and thrive.
Our work goes back more than twenty years
Our journey is a story that goes back close to 25 years. We are a group of Americans supporting good work in Kenya since the early 2000s. Out of two different organizations, we formed Friends of Kenya Rising in 2020 to better offer support to our sole partner, United Kenya Rising.
Our history is long, and there's been plenty of change along the way. But what we do has always been about a partnership of equals who are deeply passionate about making a difference, and very willing to embrace learning and change in pursuit of our shared mission.
Our People
Our Executive Director
John Chisholm
John has been our leader since we formed Friends of Kenya Rising in 2020. Before that, he led our two predecessor organizations.
Our
Board of Directors
Our board members are all volunteers who have spent time in western Kenya and care deeply about supporting our mission.
Our Partners
It's only fair to tell you about our Kenyan partners, too, because they're the ones who make all the good work happen.
Chief Executi e Officer
Nelson Ida Litswa
Known simply as "Ida," our partner's CEO and long-time leader is one of the key visionaries behind development of the Family Care program.
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United Kenya Rising's
Staff in Kenya
Our partner, United Kenya Rising, is staffed by 40 dedicated Kenyan professionals from a diverse array of backgrounds.
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United of Kenya Rising
Board of Directors
UKR's board of directors are all respected elders from the communities we serve. They bring with them decades of local knowledge and wisdom.