I want to share the story of one of our families that lays bare the harsh reality of life’s fragility in Kariobangi. In 2017, their daughter was diagnosed with a severe heart condition, necessitating constant medical care and forcing the closure of the family’s small store, their sole source of income and hope. The family […]
By Sami Maina on December 18, 2024
Today, a young father was tragically killed in a robbery right next to our school. It’s a senseless act that has left me and many others deeply shaken. This is my community, and I walk that same street every day. It could have been anyone. It could have been me. Often, incidents like these spark […]
By Sami Maina on December 10, 2024
At Hands of Love, we believe that a child’s ability to learn and thrive is deeply connected to their well-being. That’s why our feeding program is at the heart of what we do, ensuring every student receives a nutritious meal, not only during school days school day, but also when school is not in session. […]
By Sami Maina on December 2, 2024
When you think of a school director, you might picture someone buried in paperwork, budgets, and meetings, and while those things are definitely part of my job and are necessary to keep the school running smoothly, My job goes far beyond that. I am a hands-on director, and that means getting involved in every aspect […]
By Sami Maina on November 16, 2024
At Hands of Love, we believe in providing a holistic learning experience that nurtures every aspect of a child’s growth. We incorporate movement and music into our curriculum and ensure our pre primary students engage in dance and exercise sessions every day. Dance and exercise play a crucial role in developing coordination, balance, and gross […]
By Sami Maina on November 1, 2024
What a day! This past Saturday, October 26th, our Hands of Love School was overflowing with joy and a kaleidoscope of colors as we celebrated our incredible Pre-Primary 2 graduates. But this wasn’t just any graduation ceremony; it was a huge end-of-year party with all of our amazing students and over 100 parents joining the […]
By Sami Maina on October 31, 2024
Overview of Hands of Love Progress, Accomplishments, and Challenges During 2024 first half.
By Sami Maina on July 14, 2024
Torrential rains and floods have devastated Kenya, killing more than 200 people and forcing thousands from their homes countrywide since late March. In Nairobi, widespread floods have caused a lot of disruption, affecting homes, businesses and livelihoods. As is always the case in situations like this, it is the vulnerable communities, particularly those in slum […]
By Sami Maina on May 7, 2024
When reflecting on the things that contribute to the success of our school, I think about the small things that make a big difference. These include things like home visits, ensuring our meals are well prepared, ensuring the school environment is safe and clean, morning routines that make every child feel that they matter, volunteering […]
By Communication Team on December 10, 2023
Many times I am asked, “Is your work in Kariobangi making any difference?” Or a similar question, “How do you know you have made an impact on a child?” In our work, it may appear that we are not making any difference, as poverty is still widespread and many children still lack access to early […]
On Friday, October 27, 2023, we held our annual graduation ceremony for the Pre-primary 2 class. The joyous occasion, celebrated the accomplishments of our preschoolers who graduated from preschool to primary school. We held the graduation at Kariobangi Nursery, a neighbouring catholic owned Pre-school. (We are grateful to Kariobangi Nursery for providing us with their grounds […]
On June 19 and 20, HOL students participated in our school district’s music festival in Kasarani sub-county. The competition encompassed eight categories, including poems, choral verses and set pieces. Although we are from one of the poorest areas, our students out-performed larger, more equipped schools in several categories. We took first place in a self-composed […]
By Sami Maina on July 4, 2023
Two new teachers joined Hands of Love in February of this year. Mr. John, the computer teacher mentioned above and Diana Orego, the Grade 2 teacher, who is taking the place of Teacher Pauline while she is on maternity leave. The other one is Teacher Diana. “I really love the teaching methods and performance of […]
By Communication Team on June 13, 2023
Last year, our director, Mr. Sami, provided computer lessons for students in grades one and two. This year, Mr. John Waruru is teaching the computer lessons and doing a fantastic job! Teacher John is an older brother to one of our pre-primary 2 students. He graduated from Taita Taveta University with a bachelor’s degree in computer […]
By Communication Team on June 12, 2023
Our rooftop garden is not only a great outdoor learning lab, it’s also an important source of food. We are currently growing tomatoes, spring onions and amaranth in a variety of pots. The vegetables were planted in early February and are now providing lots of nourishment for our twice-daily meals. Amaranth is a leaf vegetable […]
By Communication Team on June 8, 2023
Food security is a vital part of the HOL mission. We serve each of our 162 students breakfast and lunch six days a week to help meet their basic needs. However, food costs are skyrocketing due to an ongoing African drought, COVID disruptions and the Russian war in Ukraine
By Elizabeth Borton on July 11, 2022
Recently, we posted the impressive test results of our Grade 1 students versus students at other local schools. We are very proud to report that our Grade 2 students also performed well in the Kasarani District Common Assessment Framework standardized tests.
By Sami Maina on July 1, 2022
We know our teachers and students worked diligently throughout the 2021 school year to excel in their studies. Now we have proof their hard work paid off!
By Sami Maina on June 19, 2022
Hands of Love was founded 15 years ago to address this disparity. Over the years, we have provided high-quality early childhood education and food and basic healthcare to children aged 4 – 8 years. By providing a solid foundation, we set up children who graduate from our school for success in their primary education. The […]
By Sami Maina on May 1, 2022
Our school has an outstanding reputation in the community for providing education, safe learning space, and supporting struggling families. Thanks to our committed staff, generous donors, and school community. The new school year started in May with, 35 new students admitted into the Pre-Primary 2 class. This is the shortest academic year with only 6 […]
By Communication Team on March 11, 2022