SEED GARDENS  – –  Kisumu & surrounding area – – providing help to the most vulnerable.

The Seed Gardens began when one of our board members felt a calling to start a project that not only helped the most vulnerable but was self-sustaining. A friend in Kenya who is trained and experienced in agriculture was asked to spearhead the project. By visiting various churches and the local chiefs Isaya identified 8 senior ladies who could most benefit from his skills and a garden. Covering considerable distances, Isaya has regularly traveled to each lady, beginning with visits to get acquainted, then digging, fencing, preparing each garden and educating them in best practices. There is always crop ready to harvest, some going to seed and some growing. They have truly taken charge. A few have even expanded their gardens for extra food to sell. SOCKS is so grateful to Isaya who has committed his heart, time, knowledge and strength to these gardens and ladies. SOCKS is now in the process of providing water tanks since many must walk a great distance to the nearest water source. When that is complete, Isaya will continue to visit occasionally since he has developed some lovely connections but the ladies should be completely self sufficient and have a sustainable food source.

Caretakers School – – – Korogocho, Kenya – – – providing lunch for approximately 200 students

CARETAKERS SCHOOL Korogocho, Kenya Escorted by a contact from Feed the Children and an armed guard, SOCKS members first visited the corrugated tin classrooms of Caretakers in 2014. They entered a classroom to see a water filled soda bottle shoved into a hole in the ceiling. Sunlight refracted off the water and provided the only light. Thanks to a very generous benefactor, Caretakers is now a 2 story brick building. Over the years, SOCKS has provided Caretakers with books and helped pay teachers’ salaries In 2019, the Kenyan Government stopped the food program run by Feed the Children who provided lunch for students. For most children, this would be their only meal of the day and much of the food was taken home to share. SOCKS is now sending money to continue the lunch program at Caretakers.

For more stories about Caretakers, please view our updates under GALLERIES.

Mission in Action – – Nakuru – providing funds to support orphans with food, clothing and shelter.

Through a relative of a SOCKS board member, we discovered Mission in Action. MIA founder, developer, manager and ‘daddy’ is Ivan Budulica, who traveled from Australia to Kenya over 15 years ago. He felt a call to help and opened the first baby orphanage in Nakuru after seeing the plight of so many abandoned babies. His large self-contained complex houses up to 80 children, infants to teenagers. All their needs are met and there is a school on site attended also by students from the surrounding area. Ivan is incredibly active in the community, helping various families and especially seniors. He has recently started a grass roots project to train and educate young women, enabling them to make money through their own small business. ‘One Tribe Mama’ is empowering young mothers to be self sufficient and support themselves and their babies.

To read more stories of our visits to MIA, please look for updates in our GALLERIES.

Joyland Special School – providing feminine hygiene products for all girls allowing them to attend school regularly.

SOCKS shares a close relationship with Joyland Special School. One of the teachers is a dear friend and her husband is our agent on the ground in Kenya.

SOCKS supplies feminine hygiene products to the girls at Joyland which has contributed to near perfect attendance.

SOCKS has provided a solar panel system for the senior school, helped with path construction, supplied wheelchairs and other assistive aids for students.

We are proud to support and partner with Joyland school.

For more stories of our visits to Joyland, please look for updates in GALLERIES.