Barbara has been a sponsor with Moja Tu since its inception in 2013. She was drawn to Moja Tu’s mission of providing educational scholarships to students from impoverished backgrounds. We had a moment with her where we discussed all things sponsorship.
Where did your interest in philanthropy spring from?
I believe each person has a responsibility to care for the greater good of all. And that choice of how to care will vary significantly according to what the individual excels at or can manage. For example, my first significant act of giving came through hospice volunteering after my husband died. I felt that I could contribute more by giving of my presence instead of money because I could emotionally.
Why is it important to you to help students in Kenya?
After visiting Kenya on vacation for the first time, I developed an affinity for the country and its people. The students I have met are so very grateful for the opportunity to go to school. It is easy to want to support people who are demonstrating their seriousness to studying. They want to learn to obtain a good job, thus taking themselves and their families out of the cycle of poverty.
Many of the students have very little. Perhaps no parents, substandard housing, poor nutrition, lack of health care, lack of funds to attend school, buy books and uniforms, and so on. The comparison with young people in the USA is staggeringly unequal. Also, my donations have much more buying power in Kenya compared to the U.S.
What sort of interactions do you have with your students?
I correspond and attend video chats. I have visited my students in person in Kenya and hope to visit next year. I’ve stayed at Dream Children’s Home (where many Moja Tu students reside or gather) twice and gone with Moja Tu students on Nature Day outings 2 or 3 times.
How has sponsoring a student transformed your life?
I am humbled. I was born into a lifestyle of plenty and became consciously grateful for that while traveling to other countries. Through Moja Tu, I developed personal relationships with students (and other Kenyans) that are deeper than casual tourist meetings. They tell me about their living situations, their hopes, and their dreams. I realize that I am more than capable of giving funds to help them achieve a better life.
Some sponsors may never be able to go to Kenya to meet their student(s), but I urge every sponsor to do so if possible. The impact of seeing the poverty in which they live and the juxtaposition of that and their hopefulness, gratitude, and broad smiles is life-changing.
I often now take a minute before purchasing something frivolous, something I don’t need. But then, I remember that I know so many who don’t have their basic needs met and may never unless they receive an education – the employment ladder.
What does our mission of education for all mean to you?
Education is the key to self-sufficiency (unless one is born into money). Some people don’t believe we are interconnected, but we are – all people, flora, and fauna are complexly interconnected. So even if a person doesn’t have a philanthropic bone in their body, they should realize that poverty and disease in faraway lands will affect them negatively.
What is it about Moja Tu that you think makes it unique?
Moja Tu focuses on building mentoring, and supporting relationships between the donor and recipient. This adds a critical component to a philanthropic model and results in more positive than just giving funds.
What would you like people to know about our organization?
Moja Tu is a model of educational philanthropy that incorporates personal relationships with funding. The one-on-one relationship with the student provides the opportunity for mentoring and support. Self-confidence and hope are often lacking for those in poverty. Besides essential financing for school, books, uniforms, and dormitory living, Moja Tu students benefit from confidence-building and guidance.
Moja Tu has been able to instill the importance of mentoring to the students. Students in the program take on the personal responsibility of helping new Moja Tu students. They are building a Moja Tu family of support that will be sustainable.
Financials are transparent and used for the earmarked task – school fees, health care, supplementary food, and housing. The few paid employees are Kenyans who manage the on-the-ground operations.