Now at Neema, Martin has an income that allows him to support his wife, six children, and his two brothers. On top of that, he gets to help the young women at Neema. Martin ensures that the compound and his Neema family are safe. He helps provide the students, their children, and the staff with a level of security and comfort that allows them to learn and find a renewed sense of hope.
Read MoreNearly half the young women who join Neema are already mothers themselves. Still teenagers, these young moms face deep emotional wounds. With their infants come months of hardship: dropping out of school, finding casual labor, enduring shame and stigma from loved ones, the heartbreak of being abandoned by the child’s father—on top of the exhaustion that comes with all newborns and the challenges of living on less than $2/day in rural Kenya. But hope is not lost. These young mothers have found a place of transformation.
Read MoreAs a counselor, Pamela understands what the young women go through at home and she has been able to help them restore physically, mentally, and emotionally. She helps prepare them to face the world. She has a passion for working with the young women and teaching them to find the best solutions to their problems.
Read MoreBrenda Rewrites Her Narrative: Making a way out of extreme poverty, Brenda found restoration, was equipped to provide for her son, and began a new chapter in her life.
Read MoreIrine loves spending time with the students and providing a shoulder for them to lean on. She stresses the fact that God provides a second chance and when he does, you need to use it. She says that in her own life, God helped her learn to forgive. She harbored bitterness for the situation she was in that led to the birth of her first son. However, she learned to move forward and loves her son very much. She uses her experiences as motivation to help Neema’s students learn to forgive the fathers of their babies. Teen pregnancies usually stop young women from continuing in school, so they often feel bitter about this loss. But at Neema, they learn to move on and love their children without reservation.
Read MoreRight. now, Ann is learning tailoring, Priscillah is training in catering, and Elizabeth is studying agribusiness—three strategic career paths to provide for themselves and their families, and break the cycle of extreme poverty.
Read MoreVictorina teaches her students skills that will benefit them throughout their whole lives. Not only is she teaching them sewing and tailoring, but she also encourages them when they doubt their skills and equips them with courage to find employment after graduating. The students even call her Mama — and she loves it!
Read MoreJoyce, Neema’s Head of Training & Curriculum, says, “Giving them hope through passing Neema will make them continue with life and start a new chapter in life. Self-esteem will help them know they are worthy and know their values, accepting new challenges, being resilient and not fearing uncertainty.”
Read MoreSee our top 10 photos from 2024, showing how your generosity has impacted the lives of young women and children in rural Kenya! Faith shares what she has learned in the classroom at Neema and what she plans to do with her tailoring skills after graduation.
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