Francis is a devoted dad in our Mikinduri sponsor site in Kenya. One of twelve, Francis never had the chance to go to school. He married Elizabeth in his thirties, and they had five children together. Tragically, Elizabeth died when their fifth child, Florida, was only two months old.
Francis is a devoted dad in our Mikinduri sponsor site in Kenya. One of twelve, Francis never had the chance to go to school. He married Elizabeth in his thirties, and they had five children together. Tragically, Elizabeth died when their fifth child, Florida, was only two months old.
“Left with four children and a two-month-old baby, it was difficult for me to go out for casual work,” Francis says. “My neighbors did support me with food, but there were days we had to do with the little that was in store. I was a desperate father who did not know how to carry on.”
A local nutritionist pointed Francis to Chalice’s Mikinduri site. When the staff met him and his family, they could see that everyone would benefit from sponsors.
“Through the sponsorship program,” Francis says, “I was able to register my older children for school, buy uniforms and books, provide them with food, home clothes. My children were happy to go to school and have enough food to eat.”
“For the first time after many months of praying, I felt that God had remembered me and my family.”
He joined his Chalice family circle, and through their credits and loans program, he grew his banana farming business. Now he has customers from big cities like Nairobi and Mombasa.
“The site staff have taught us good farming practices and also good saving habits,” he says. “So, whenever I sell bananas from my farm, I take some of the money to the bank.”
From bananas to bricks. With his savings from the banana farm, he began investing in building supplies. With a boost from a family circle loan, Francis built a two-room house for his family!
“Dear sponsors, I thank you for helping my family to pull out of the difficulties of poverty that we were facing,” Francis says.
“I am deeply grateful for all the support that has helped my family to be food secure, that has given my children an opportunity to go to school. That my children enjoy good health free from nutrition related diseases brings me much joy and happiness.”
“Your support has given me hope to carry on,” he says. “I and my children will continue to pray to God to shower you with his blessings.”