I’m landing in your inbox on the eve of the 10-year anniversary of International Day of the Girl (IDG), because I know how invested you are in creating a more equal world for girls. As you know, International Day of the Girl is all about shining a light on the unique challenges that girls face globally and celebrating their enormous potential to bring about change. Springs of Hope Foundation is dedicated to lifting young women out of poverty by providing vocational training along with life skills. One such young woman, who joined our tailoring course in August along with nine other young women, is Joy.Read More

For over two years now I have had to attend our graduations virtually. I’ve always said what a blessing our dedicated team in Kenya has been during these very trying times. I would like to introduce Antoinette, one of the newest members of our team along with Julia, (her name has been for her privacy), one of our recent graduates. Please read Antoinette’s full account of Julia’s accomplishments despite the many, many challenges Julia has overcome in her young life. It will bring some hope and joy during these very troubling times.Warmest regards,Jennifer Hughes-BystromFounder/CEOSprings of Hope Foundation Hello Everyone, My name is Antoinette. I joined the teamRead More

The increase in the cost of food over the past three months has been staggering. Maize, that for the 15 years Springs of Hope Foundation has been working in Kenya seasonally fluctuates between 2,500K/- and 3,000K/- for a 90 kg sack is now 6,500K/- if you can find it in the market. Beans have been around 6,000K/- for a 90 kg sack for many years. Last week we managed to purchase the last three sacks in the market for our food hampers for 12,000 K/-.  Our food hamper program is still ongoing, despite, or should I say, because of the staggering increase in the priceRead More

 AN UPDATE FROM ANTOINETTE, OUR KIJIJI MISSION ADMINISTRATION MANAGER IN KENYA. Hello Everyone,It’s hard to believe that we will be preparing for another graduation in just a few weeks. This is always an exciting time for me as together we explore the opportunities and paths each graduating student wants to take. Some may choose to stay with us for a little longer and work on a grant from Lantern Projects to make washable, reusable sanitary pads that will be given for free to girls within the community. Others will be working on the Bubble Gum Kids project, making doll clothes for a local entrepreneur who isRead More

Earlier this week we had a planned power outage in our small community in the Upper Peninsula of Northern Michigan. We were pre-warned and prepared, and those of us who choose to stay home for the day set up the trusty old generator. Ours is only small enough to run the pump to our well. Unless you need the power to run medical equipment, heating, or air conditioning, I’m sure that most of us agree that we can get by without electricity for a day. However, we can’t get by comfortably without water. We need water to cook, wash, flush, drink, etc. Think about theRead More

Last month, we were introduced to the Malaika Initiative for Children with Disabilities and Mama Grace, an amazing woman who runs a daycare facility for 30 children with disabilities. If you have ever been a caregiver for a family member, you know how physically and emotionally draining it can be.  It is only through love and God’s grace that these mothers are able to care for these children 24 hours a day.  All these beautiful children are supported by their mother and one, her grandmother.  One such mother has been caring for her disabled child for 21 years… 21 years day and night. Taking theirRead More

I look forward to the day when I can write a report stating that we no longer have families needing our help with our food hamper distribution and that we have finished working with those who have come to us in recent years and have been assisted…… I can dream.Initially, our food hamper program began as a short-term bandaid while we were all trying to grasp the impact of Covid 19 on the elderly, people living with disabilities, single females, and child-headed households. That was over two years ago!Sadly, Kenya is still in the midst of the worst prolonged drought in decades.  Rainfall is notRead More

The paradox that is the breathtaking beauty of Kenya and the extreme struggle the elderly, women, people living with disabilities, and displaced families due to internal waring have to face every day just to survive is startling.Last week’s food distribution was at an IDP (internally displaced persons) community known as Lake Solai. In Antoinette’s weekly report she writes. The journey from the Springs of Hope Foundation in Nakuru to Lake Solai, is approximately 50 km, about 2 hours drive. While admiring the beautiful landscapes and Lake Solai with the beautiful, famous pink flamingos of Nakuru, we finally arrived at Limuru Center in Solai, on theRead More

I was talking to a friend yesterday about how proud I was of the way our staff has handled this whole pandemic situation over the past two years while I have not been able to be there in person. Her response was…Wow, you must have trained them really well!And yes, we do have great systems in place to communicate daily, account for expenditures, plan our goals moving forward, etc. However, no amount of training can replace the love our staff and volunteers have for this project and the young women we are training to become confident, strong, well-qualified, self-sustaining women. Martha Martha has been withRead More

Last month we received an $800.00 emergency food relief grant from Spirit in Action. Talk about “just in the nick of time”. Crop destruction due to severe drought and locust invasions have devastated some regions of Northern Kenya, leaving millions in the region facing starvation. Twice in the past few weeks, we have been given the opportunity to assist the area residents with food hampers. This was only made possible because our good friend world champion Kenyan marathon runner Kirui Kirui, who is from the district, offered his sturdy, four-wheel-drive vehicle and through the district governor, arranged a security escort for Antoinette and the volunteerRead More