Who we are and what we do
Blair in Kenya from Lukas Dong on Vimeo.
Claudia Choi and Pheona Awuor
Blair in Kenya began as a community service trip for Blair Academy students and has grown into a significant player in the Kenyan charitable scene.
Over the past 12 years, BIK has delivered over 25,000 pounds of clothes, shoes, computers and medical supplies, we have raised more than $300,000 towards educational programs, and we operate a micro-finance lender with over $20,000. We are now running two schools, sponsoring over 150 children in their educational pursuits, operating a micro-credit lender, and providing significant medical support to needy people.
We can't deliver prosperity or happiness -- ultimately, that is up to each individual and each community. But, we can help to bring hope and opportunity (and some smiles) to people who the world has largely forgotten. There isn't an equivalent to the ‘American Dream’ in Kenya (nor any type of safety net), and many young people feel destined for a life of poverty and struggle. A few years back, a young girl told us, "When you come here all the way from America, it shows that we matter to the rest of the world and it makes us feel like we have a chance to succeed." While success is largely up to each person, we are driven by the belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in their lives. We will know we are successful when we are no longer needed.
But we couldn't do any of this without the incredible generosity of our American friends and we are so grateful.
Over the past 12 years, BIK has delivered over 25,000 pounds of clothes, shoes, computers and medical supplies, we have raised more than $300,000 towards educational programs, and we operate a micro-finance lender with over $20,000. We are now running two schools, sponsoring over 150 children in their educational pursuits, operating a micro-credit lender, and providing significant medical support to needy people.
We can't deliver prosperity or happiness -- ultimately, that is up to each individual and each community. But, we can help to bring hope and opportunity (and some smiles) to people who the world has largely forgotten. There isn't an equivalent to the ‘American Dream’ in Kenya (nor any type of safety net), and many young people feel destined for a life of poverty and struggle. A few years back, a young girl told us, "When you come here all the way from America, it shows that we matter to the rest of the world and it makes us feel like we have a chance to succeed." While success is largely up to each person, we are driven by the belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in their lives. We will know we are successful when we are no longer needed.
But we couldn't do any of this without the incredible generosity of our American friends and we are so grateful.
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Kisumu from Lukas Dong on Vimeo. |