Know Us
Kenya's Kids provides care for the forgotten children of Kenya by meeting their physical, emotional, and educational needs while sharing the love of God with them.
VISION
To provide hope and a future for the children of Kenya.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
JEREMIAH 29:11
THE STAFF
The US-based Leadership Team is supported by a Board of Directors and many volunteers, all of whom donate their time to the ministry of Kenya’s Kids. Other than those in Kenya who directly work with the children and students, there are NO paid staff.
US-BASED LEADERSHIP 1
Reverend Larry L. Cook
Pastor & Chaplain
William W. Gaillard
President
Debby Reed
Board Member
Scott Cook
Managing Director
KENYA-BASED LEADERSHIP 2
Joseph Kimani
Manager
First Lasts
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First Lasts
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First Lasts
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KATHONZWENI LEADERSHIP 3
First Lasts
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First Lasts
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First Lasts
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First Lasts
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Our Story So Far
Two decades of faith, perseverance, and transformed lives in Kenya.
Every enduring ministry begins with a single act of obedience. For Kenya’s Kids, that act was a phone call — a connection made in 1996 between a group of American Christians and a Kenyan pastor named Kiruri, who had quietly opened his home to children living on the streets of Nairobi. That unlikely introduction planted a seed that has grown, over nearly thirty years, into a ministry touching hundreds of lives across multiple communities in Kenya.
The road has not always been smooth. Political unrest, drought, and the daily pressures of serving vulnerable children in one of the world’s most challenging environments have tested the ministry at every turn. But through each season, a devoted team of American supporters, Kenyan staff, and church partners has remained anchored to a single belief: every child deserves hope and a future.
Here is the story of how we got here — and where God is taking us next.
1996
A Connection That Changed Everything
American volunteers with a heart for Kenya connect with Pastor Kiruri and his wife, who have established Evelyn Memorial Compassionate Ministry to serve Nairobi’s “street children.” A partnership — and a calling — is born.
Early 2000s
Growth and Growing Pains
Through the generosity of sponsors, the Evelyn Memorial ministry grows to serve more than 200 children. Then political unrest and violence sweep Kenya, displacing more than 300,000 men, women, and children. Evelyn Memorial pivots to establish refugee camps and churches, while Kenya’s Kids refocuses on its core mission: the “street children” who still have no one to speak for them.
A New Name, a New Chapter
Mbooni and the AIC Partnership
Our leadership team makes its first visit to Mbooni Children’s Home in the Machakos hills. Impressed by the dedication of Rev. Benjamin Kamende and his staff, a new partnership is forged — and with it comes a new name: Kenya’s Kids. A powerful alliance with the Africa Inland Church (AIC) network in the Machakos region takes root, providing the relational and spiritual infrastructure for everything that follows.
2013
Leadership Training Launches
Recognizing that lasting transformation requires equipped leaders, Kenya’s Kids launches an annual Leadership Training program in partnership with the AIC. Each year, over 1,000 pastors and church leaders gather to be trained in integrity, authentic leadership, family health, and navigating change. The ripple effects reach far beyond the children in our homes.
2023
Expanding the Family
Kenya’s Kids deepens its investment at Mbooni — completing major infrastructure improvements and dedicating a new building in honor of founding board member Dr. Bob Reed and Mrs. Wendy Gaillard. The same year, the ministry begins a transformative partnership with Kathonzweni Children’s Home in Makueni County, and joins hands with Kima Technical College, just off the Mombasa Road near the emerging Konza Technopolis.
January 2024
Living Water for Kima
A newly drilled well — funded by Kenya’s Kids — begins supplying fresh water and plumbing to more than 15 buildings on Kima’s 19-acre campus. Irrigation made possible by this well enables the planting of crops, moving the college toward greater self-sufficiency.
2026
Cultivating the Future: The Kima Agricultural Centre
Kenya’s Kids launches the Kima Agricultural Centre, equipping students with skills in agricultural technology and animal husbandry. Working alongside Kenyan and Makueni County Government officials, local business leaders, and community partners, we are shaping Kima into a regional center of training and opportunity — just as the Konza Technopolis rises nearby to transform the entire region’s economy.
Today
Still Writing the Story
From a phone call in 1996 to a ministry spanning children’s homes, a technical college, a community program, and a continent-wide leadership training network — Kenya’s Kids continues to move forward. The need is great. The God we serve is greater. And the best chapters of this story are still being written.