Rehema Daycare and Orphanage is a warren of classrooms filled with energetic students from pre-primary to junior high.  

Some students live at the orphanage, while others come from their homes in the surrounding Korogocho neighbourhood of Nairobi, Kenya’s sprawling capital. This dense, urban community is a very difficult place to live. Families lack sanitation, clean water, and critically, food.

Our Nairobi sponsor site staff saw an alarming trend among Rehema’s children. 

“Most school-going children in the slums suffer from malnutrition,” staff say, “as their parents live below the poverty line. Providing the family with a healthy meal is an uphill task.” Poor health is affecting their growth and development, they are unable to concentrate in class, and their attendance is spotty.   

 In response to these challenges, the Nairobi site partnered with Chalice to provide daily meals for Rehema’s 360+ students.  

Chalice donors poured out their support. Touchingly, almost half of the funding came from men and women who left a gift to Chalice in their will. Their legacy lives in the bright-eyed students who are thriving thanks to significantly improved health and nutrition. 

 “With the feeding program, learners’ attendance at school has greatly improved,” Nairobi staff say, “and the hot lunch provided has boosted the learners’ concentration during the afternoon lessons." 

And it’s not just those inside Rehema’s walls who are grateful. 

 “The feeding program has offered immense support to the parents, the heavy load has been lifted off their shoulders," staff say. 

“They are happy and thankful as they can focus on other tasks with the assurance that their children will have something to put hunger pangs at bay.”   

It seems, in short, everyone is happy. 

"Parents are happy their children can eat at school and concentrate on their academics. Teachers are happy with the boosted class concentration level. And the pupils are so happy with their improved academic performance,” staff say. 

The Nairobi team are “thankful to all the Chalice donors and supporters for putting a smile on these children’s faces. Their lives have really improved.”

Check out our Plan a Gift page to learn how you could help children flourish through a gift in your will.