Yasmine Is Discovering the Confidence to Learn Again

When Beatrice Asienwa talks about the children she serves, one phrase comes naturally.

"They matter in the eyes of God."

It is more than something she teaches; it is the conviction that has guided her work at Kids Alive Kenya for the past 13 years.

As Program Manager at Nyamarambe Hope Center in Kisii County, Beatrice oversees a wide range of programs that strengthen children and families. Trained in counseling and child therapy, she works alongside social workers, educators, caregivers, and community leaders to help children experience healing spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But long before she stepped into a leadership role, she knew her life would somehow be spent serving vulnerable children.

"What inspired me to join Kids Alive," she explains, "was a zeal to serve vulnerable people, especially children. To me, it is a calling, rather than simply a job."

That calling continues to shape the way she approaches every conversation, every family visit, and every child who walks through the Hope Center's doors.

One child Beatrice remembers well is Vivian.*

When Kids Alive first met her, Vivian was only five years old. After losing her parents, she was living with a disabled guardian who struggled to provide for the family. Vivian often carried her younger brother on her back as she walked through the village asking for food and, at times, even a place to sleep. When the Kids Alive team met her, she had gone two days without eating and was severely malnourished.

But the team didn't see a child whose future was hopeless.

They saw a little girl created in the image of God whose story was still being written.

Rather than addressing only the immediate crisis, the Hope Center came alongside Vivian's family with practical, long-term support. Her guardian received help starting a small income-generating business so the family could begin building stability. Vivian was enrolled in school, provided with the resources she needed to learn, and surrounded by adults who continually reminded her that she was seen, valued, and deeply loved.

Today, Vivian is thriving in high school, excelling academically and dreaming of becoming a nurse one day.

For Beatrice, stories like Vivian's are a reminder that lasting change rarely happens through a single act of generosity. It grows through faithful relationships, patient investment, and a community willing to walk alongside children and families over time.

That same commitment was evident earlier this year when Nyamarambe Hope Center hosted a three-day Vacation Bible School. Although only a moderate number of children originally signed up, many more arrived eager to participate. Through games, artwork, Scripture memory, worship, and shared meals, children experienced something many desperately needed to hear: that God knows them by name, delights in them, and cares deeply for every part of their lives.

Watching children discover those truths continues to bring Beatrice joy.

"Serving these children by connecting with them, sharing the love of God, and meeting their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs brings fulfillment to my heart," she says.

As a servant leader, Beatrice juggles many responsibilities. Leading a team and responding to the unexpected requires flexibility, clear communication, and wisdom. Yet through every season, she returns to the calling that first brought her to Kids Alive: serving children with excellence and trusting God to work through ordinary faithfulness.

When asked what advice she would give to someone considering nonprofit work, her answer is simple.

"It is not about making money. It is a call to serve wholeheartedly. When your focus is on impacting other people's lives, the work becomes deeply fulfilling."

That perspective also shapes how she understands Kids Alive's mission.

For Beatrice, transforming trauma into triumph means pursuing restoration until children experience both protection and peace. It means helping families heal, supporting children as they rediscover hope, and believing that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up knowing they are deeply loved by God.

After 13 years, that calling remains as strong as ever. And every child who walks through the doors of Nyamarambe Hope Center is another reminder of why she answered it.

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Support Kids Alive Kenya

Your support helps caring team members like Beatrice walk alongside children and families with practical help, encouragement, and the hope of Christ. Together, we can help more children discover they are deeply loved, created with purpose, and never alone.

*Pseudonym used for child's safety.

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Zangi* was still a young girl when her life took an unexpected turn.

With her father absent and her mother unable to find work in Angola, stability became difficult to find. Wanting a better future for her grandchildren, Zangi's grandmother brought Zangi and her siblings to Zambia, where she worked tirelessly to provide for them through a small vegetable business. Even with her grandmother's determination, meeting everyday needs was a constant challenge, and opportunities for education often felt uncertain.

When Zangi enrolled at Kids Alive Academy in Mongu, she came hoping for an education.

She found much more than that.

At the Academy, she was welcomed into a safe, encouraging environment. Caring teachers made sure she had the learning materials she needed, nutritious meals gave her the energy to focus throughout the school day, and daily discipleship reminded her that she was deeply loved by God. The staff saw a young girl created with unique gifts and incredible potential.

Slowly, Zangi began believing it too.

She threw herself into her studies with remarkable focus and determination. As her confidence grew, so did her academic performance. The girl whose future had once seemed uncertain is now consistently one of the top students in her class.

Education wasn't only helping Zangi succeed academically—it was also helping her discover the unique gifts God had placed within her.

Zangi discovered a love for poetry.

Through writing, she found a way to put words to difficult experiences. Poetry became more than a school assignment; it became a way to reflect on her journey, process difficult emotions, and discover the strength God had been growing within her all along.

As Zangi simply says,

"Poetry gives me a way to express myself and stay strong."

That confidence continues to shape how she sees her future.

Today, Zangi dreams of becoming a lawyer. Having experienced uncertainty herself, she hopes one day to defend those who are wrongly accused, pursue justice, and help create a better future for her family. Her dream is rooted not only in academic success, but in a growing belief that God has given her a voice that can make a difference in the lives of others.

Zangi's story reflects a truth she is learning to embrace:

I am art.

God created every child as His masterpiece, uniquely designed with gifts, creativity, and purpose. Sometimes those gifts emerge through music or art. Sometimes they are discovered through mathematics, leadership, or compassion. For Zangi, they are taking shape through words that inspire hope and a calling to pursue justice.

As Scripture reminds us:

"We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)

Today, Zangi is becoming a diligent student, an expressive writer, and a young leader with big dreams for the future. Surrounded by teachers who invest in her learning, discipleship that strengthens her faith, and a school community that believes in her potential, she is discovering that education is about much more than passing exams.

It is about uncovering the unique masterpiece God has been creating all along.

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Become a Student Champion
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Through restorative education, discipleship, and individualized learning support, Kids Alive helps students build confidence and discover that God is creating something beautiful within their story.

Become a Student Champion today today and help children discover the confidence to learn, the courage to dream, and the freedom to become who God created them to be.

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*Pseudonym used for child's safety.

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Estar* was twelve years old, but much of her childhood in Kenya had already been shaped by loss and instability.

After losing her father at a young age, Estar's home life became increasingly unstable. Her mother was struggling with alcohol addiction, making it difficult to provide the consistency and care her children needed. Together with her siblings, Estar spent much of her time moving throughout the village searching for food instead of attending school. The routines and joys of childhood—learning with classmates, playing with friends, and dreaming about the future—had slowly given way to the daily challenge of simply getting by.

But Estar's story was not invisible.

Community leaders noticed that she was not attending school and alerted Kids Alive Hall Mead Academy. In response, a social worker visited her home to better understand the challenges her family was facing. After completing an assessment, the team enrolled Estar and her siblings at Hall Mead Academy.

When Estar arrived at Hall Mead Academy, she found more than a classroom.

She found teachers who understood the impact trauma can have on a child's ability to learn, trust, and engage. She found therapists who helped her process difficult experiences through play, art, and emotional support. She found consistency through daily meals, a safe learning environment, spiritual mentorship, and adults who patiently reminded her that she was worthy of care and investment.

Slowly, things began to change.

The girl who once spent her days searching for food began planting coriander with classmates in agriculture lessons. She joined group projects in science, participated in creative arts activities, and discovered a love for competing in sports tournaments by playing on Hall Mead Academy's handball team. By the end of the first term, Estar was recognized as the "Most Improved Learner" in her class.

At the same time, Kids Alive recognized that supporting Estar also meant supporting her mother.

Through parenting trainings at Karundas Hope Center, Estar's mother began learning healthy parenting practices and trauma-informed approaches that helped her better understand and respond to her children's needs. She was given tools to strengthen her relationship with her children and opportunities to begin building a more stable future for her family.

Rather than focusing only on Estar's needs, Kids Alive chose to invest in the entire family.

This is what family strengthening can look like in everyday life. Children flourish when the adults who love them are also equipped with encouragement, practical support, and opportunities to grow.

Estar is beginning to understand a truth that Kids Alive hopes every child will discover: I am chosen.

Being chosen means knowing that our worth is not determined by our circumstances or by the hardships we have experienced. It means believing that God sees us, values us, and pursues us with love, often through the caring people He places in our lives.

As Scripture reminds us:

"You did not choose me, but I chose you..." (John 15:16)

It means being surrounded by people who believe you are worth investing in, who celebrate your growth, and who faithfully remind you that God is still writing a story filled with hope, dignity, and possibility.

Become a Student Champion‍

Through restorative education, counseling, spiritual discipleship, nutritious meals, and family strengthening initiatives, Kids Alive helps children and caregivers build healthier relationships and brighter futures together.

Become a Student Champion today and help children and families experience the power of being known, supported, and chosen.

Why Healing a Child Means Healing a Family: Estar's story reminds us that children heal best when the people around them are supported as well. Download our free resource guide to learn how Family Systems Therapy can help children and families build stronger relationships, process trauma, and grow toward a healthier future together.

*Pseudonym used for child's safety.

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