Prepared by:

Wyclif Gitonga

Kenya is overshadowed by the high cost of living, poverty, and social and economic challenges. Nonetheless, kindness has the power to lighten, if not eliminate this darkness. As CLCL-Kenya marks its first anniversary as a registered charitable organization in Kenya, it is not simply a reflection of time passed but a celebration of a year dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of families within Meru County and Mathare slum in Nairobi County. This is a testament to the unwavering commitment of CLCL-US and its community of donors, who have taken the initiative to spread light and end the poverty cycle for hundreds of families in our community.

As we come to the end of the year, it is important to acknowledge that we have achieved tangible results through our programs designed to ease the suffering of vulnerable children in Kenya. Throughout the year, we have been sponsoring 130 children at various levels of learning, of whom some have graduated as IT engineers, medical professionals, and journalists, while others await to graduate as social workers, teachers, business managers, beauticians, as well as civil and electrical engineers. It is also worth mentioning that the sponsored children in primary and secondary schools have been receiving timely tuition fees, school uniforms, food, and other basic commodities, thanks to our committed partners and donors.

CLCL’s transformative agenda has extended to four primary schools, where hundreds of pupils have been benefiting from a feeding program. The impact has been an improvement in the overall performance of the pupils and a decrease in school absenteeism due to the meals we have been providing, which for some pupils is the only meal they get. In addition, the CLCL family has prioritized a safe and dignified menstruation experience for young mothers and high school students from various day secondary schools in Meru County. This year alone, we have distributed 235 Ruby Cups to girls in seven day-secondary schools and 123 cups to young mothers from various communities in Meru County and Mathare Slum, in Nairobi County.

CLCL owes a debt of gratitude to our donors and partners for their commitment to changing the lives of poor children in Kenya and for having also played a very crucial role in enabling CLCL to achieve its objectives. As a sign of gratitude, we held a candle memorial service for two of our donors at Mathare Slums, in Nairobi County, and in their remembrance, we distributed food to over 250 families. We were amazed by the hundreds of women, men, and children bracing the cold of the night to pray for our departed donors and their families.

In addition to the many activities dedicated to improving the lives of our children and their families, we have also set up our office in Meru, hired and trained social worker Fridah Makandi and bookkeeper Joshua Barua, and provided one of our alums, Ian Muriuki with an internship. Plus, Wyclif with the help of the Kenyan CLCL board of directors, are working on drafting a Child Protection Policy, which all of our employees, volunteers, and board members will be following.



As we come to the end of 2023, we are proud of the efforts and hard work of our employees, board members, donors, and partners for their compassion and collective desire to transform lives and spread light to the poor in our societies. None of this would be possible without YOU! Please consider further helping us by sponsoring a child or donating towards a specific project and aiding the CLCL family to continue Changing the Lives of vulnerable children.

Prepared by:

Fridah Makandi

Christmas is one of Kenya's most important holidays. Businesses and schools are closed for the day, allowing everyone to travel to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday with their families. People relocate from cities to rural areas to be closer to their families. Everyone is looking forward to the holiday season.

The Kenyan Christmas traditions vary depending on the region, denominations, and ethnic group. However, some of the most common traditions include attending church services, caroling, and preparing special meals. In urban areas, many shopping malls have a “Father Christmas” which children take pictures with. However, in rural areas, special food is more celebrated including, beef, chicken, and goat meat among other delicacies make up the main course, while nyama choma (grilled meat), sukuma wiki (collard greens), and pilau (spiced rice) add to the celebration. Special Christmas treats like mandazi (deep-fried dough) and chapati (flatbread) are the most popular traditional Christmas dishes. Additionally, siblings often twin and wear the same clothes for the festivities. Among several families, Christmas cannot be complete without new clothes, especially among the children. Sharing of gifts is not a common practice among rural communities, they typically focus on food and new clothes for the children.

Every family, including middle-class families, ensures they enjoy the day Christ the Son of God was born. Other families or groups are involved with gifting and donating to the least fortunate families, as well as spending time with street children, children's homes, or those in prisons. By giving, happiness and joy are spread through the people, ensuring no one is left out.

While the middle-class family and a typical Kenyan family might have different ways of celebrating Christmas, the core traditions remain the same. The middle-class family might have more resources to spend on gifts and decorations, while a typical Kenyan family might focus more on spending time with loved ones and preparing special meals.

Our sponsored children will be part of those celebrating Christmas with their families. We believe that every child has the right to be happy, especially in this period.

Merry Christmas!

Prepared by:

Fridah Makandi

After the only place they called home was burned down to ashes in the year 2021, Prince Mwathiki and his family were left homeless. With nowhere to go, well-wishers partially assisted the family with some bedding and a place to stay, and since then, they have shifted from one rented house to the other.

Prince is the third born in a family of four children. He is a very joyful 9-year-old child and always wears a smile on his face. He lives in a one-room rented house with his parents and two brothers. His father is a casual laborer who hardly earns the utmost $2.00 daily, which does not sufficiently provide for his family’s basic needs. His mother is disabled; hence, she cannot do any work but instead depends on well-wishers and kind donations, if any, to support the efforts of the father. Prince’s eldest sister dropped out of school and got married at an early age due to a lack of school fees occasioned by the poverty experienced in his family.

Regardless of his father’s efforts to provide basic needs for Prince and his siblings, it’s not enough to pay for school fees, uniforms, or house rent. In the prevailing hard times characterized by high costs of living and increased inflation rates in Kenya, the father has been struggling to cover the family’s basic needs without a helping hand. He was brought up in an informal settlement (slum), and his children are at risk of being brought up in the slums without access to quality education, proper medical care, adequate food, or other basic needs. Poverty is a cycle, and one way of eradicating it is through education. Needless to say, children, especially those from underprivileged families, need proper education because it is one of the keys that can unlock various opportunities. Prince’s door can be opened, and his future can be secured too.

Ready to make a difference? Changing Lenses, Changing Lives would like to support Prince in achieving his dream to become a medical doctor through your donation or sponsorship. Your support will be directed toward the payment of his school fees, school uniforms, house rent, as well as nutritional support. Please decide to Change a Life!