Flying Kites currently serves 80 orphaned and critically-poor children in Kenya and our school is consistently rated as the top-performing school in the district. Over the next two years, our goal is to double the size of our impact, to be able to serve twice as many students in need. Each classroom will cost 25,000 USD to construct, and will provide a safe and inspiring environment for students to learn.
Profile
History
Since Flying Kites was founded in 2007, we have been on a journey to ignite the potential of vulnerable and critically-poor children in Kenya through our Home, School and LaunchPad Initiative. Our work stands apart, and our impact is profound, due to the holistic and long-term investments we make in the lives of young people. Through an emphasis on health and development, academic achievement, social and emotional well-being, and life skills, students are empowered to not only improve their own lives, but to improve their families and communities.
Through our residential program, we care for orphaned children who have experienced homelessness or abuse. Our child to staff ratio is 1:5 and we are committed to providing the children we serve with access to high-quality residential, medical and psychological support. Our Primary School serves children from the local community who have demonstrated academic merit and financial need. As part of our commitment to health and sustainability, we cultivate large farms on both of our Njabini sites to provide fresh produce for our home and school. Our expansive farm currently provides nutritious food for both our home and school, as well as surplus crop that is sold locally to supplement other expenses.
The LaunchPad program was developed to provide our students with the confidence to strategically navigate life after high school, the ability to develop healthy and safe relationships, and the tools to participate in their country's economic development. LaunchPad provides job training, college counseling, mentoring, workshops, and internship opportunities to secondary students enrolled in our scholarship program. Workshop topics include personal finances, computer literacy, sexual and reproductive health, stress management, conflict resolution, civic engagement, and more. Students participate in our LaunchPad Program throughout the year, working alongside a live-in social worker and pursuing internships, job shadowing, trainings, and volunteering on school holidays. In order to maintain enrollment in the program, students are expected to maintain a B average and maintain responsible and safe behavior while in the program, including partaking in household chores (budgeting, cooking, cleaning), and attending all internships and workshops.
Through our residential program, we care for orphaned children who have experienced homelessness or abuse. Our child to staff ratio is 1:5 and we are committed to providing the children we serve with access to high-quality residential, medical and psychological support. Our Primary School serves children from the local community who have demonstrated academic merit and financial need. As part of our commitment to health and sustainability, we cultivate large farms on both of our Njabini sites to provide fresh produce for our home and school. Our expansive farm currently provides nutritious food for both our home and school, as well as surplus crop that is sold locally to supplement other expenses.
The LaunchPad program was developed to provide our students with the confidence to strategically navigate life after high school, the ability to develop healthy and safe relationships, and the tools to participate in their country's economic development. LaunchPad provides job training, college counseling, mentoring, workshops, and internship opportunities to secondary students enrolled in our scholarship program. Workshop topics include personal finances, computer literacy, sexual and reproductive health, stress management, conflict resolution, civic engagement, and more. Students participate in our LaunchPad Program throughout the year, working alongside a live-in social worker and pursuing internships, job shadowing, trainings, and volunteering on school holidays. In order to maintain enrollment in the program, students are expected to maintain a B average and maintain responsible and safe behavior while in the program, including partaking in household chores (budgeting, cooking, cleaning), and attending all internships and workshops.
Impact
The construction of a new classroom at Flying Kites will allow us to welcome 20-25 more students into our school community, giving them the opportunity to transform their lives.
Team Credentials
Leila de Bruyne, Executive Director
Wambui Kimani, Country Director
Steven Upton, Full-time construction manager from Construction for Change (international NGO)
Wambui Kimani, Country Director
Steven Upton, Full-time construction manager from Construction for Change (international NGO)