why partnerships?

The needs in Africa are staggering. There is no way for any organization to help without creating strategic partnerships with other organizations, groups, and individuals. We are currently partnering with three organizations for the delivery of services and for whom we approve projects, provide funding and ensure budgetary accountability for those organizations. 

We are working closely with key partners in each of the countries we serve.  Our primary partner in Burundi is Hope of Africa Mission NGO which operates a private Christian school serving nearly 200 children. In Kenya we have partnered with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries to deliver services to a small project.  In Rwanda, our partner is Baho Community a faith based Non Profit, which provides service delivery to a growing number of children in need.  In Uganda our partner is Siyabonga Milele Africa which delivers support to a group of about fifteen children in Uganda. Since we do not have a strong presence in Uganda, we are referring future sponsors there to Bridges of Hope Ministries which has strong ties to our leadership. Stories behind each of these organizations can be found under their respective projects.  All are required to meet strict financial accountability standards. 

As we grow we have partnering with a number of churches, organizations, and like minded individuals here in the US.  Support churches here in the US include, Bodega Bay Church, Santa Rosa Christian Church, Petaluma Valley Baptist Church and others here in Sonoma County, California. We also receive substantial support from Dayspring Christian Fellowship in Banks, Oregon.

The challenge is daunting, but we plan to keep our projects manageable and our expectations realistic. Our focus is on growing healthy families rather than growing a business. We are simply a small group of dedicated Christian volunteers, who are committed to do our part to share the love of the Gospel. We are involved in leadership in our own churches locally, and plan to focus our additional efforts on identified areas with great need. The work is exciting as we try to bring about change "one child at a time".

Project Uganda

Siyabonga Milele Africa now part of Youth Consult Uganda:

For the past several years, Hope Milele Africa has financially supported Siyabonga. Siyabonga is was non-profit supporting eighteen, mostly high school age, children near Kampala, Uganda. Initially we took on support of five Uganda Children through Siyabonga. One child was dropped early on. One child recently graduated from High School and completed trade school. This year the Siyabonga project and the children they serve were absorbed by a larger organization called Youth Consult. Through Youth Consult, Siyabonga project, our remaining three children are provided school supplies and school fees. Two are in college, one in Agribusiness and one in Nursing School The third child is entering High School. We hope to help all complete college if possible. Children also receive spiritual guidance through Youth Consult. We recently executed an MOU with Youth Consult to assist these kids in completing their education.

Project Burundi

Hope of Africa Mission NGO

For the past several years Burundi has been listed as one of the poorest countries, if not the poorest country in the world.  Hunger, disease and extreme poverty have long been a way of life.  Recent civil unrest, border fighting, and threats of terrorism have taken a bad situation and made it worse.  Inflation in 2022 and 2023 has compounded the problems in Burundi. Food is becoming scarce and prices for essential items, like rice and beans, have reportedly risen 67% in 2022.  Fortunately trade was recently re-opened with Rwanda and there is hope the financial hardships may ease.

For several years the board members of Hope Milele Africa have individually invested in the children of Burundi.  They helped to hold fundraisers to build a school in Ngozi, Burundi.  They invested their time and funds into improving the lives of children there. 

The Burundi partner in the school project, Hope of Africa Mission NGO, was funded entirely by donations that came through another US based non-profit.  According to leaders of the US based non-profit, Hope of Africa Mission NGO was doing an excellent job of providing education to nearly 400 children and feeding them a hot meal daily.  They also offered Bible classes and a meal on Saturdays.  The leadership of Hope of Africa Mission NGO were fully accountable for funds and provided detailed reports for expenses. 

Sadly, the US based non-profit that provided funding to Hope of Africa Mission closed operations, due to financial accountability issues with another African country partner.  That closure left these vulnerable children without funding.  Some teachers worked without pay to keep the school open.  Teachers and children alike came to school hungry and go home hungry as well.  Some teachers left and some children dropped out of school.  The Board of Directors and CEO of the US based non-profit worked tirelessly to find a solution for Burundi.

In December 2016, Hope Milele Africa stepped in to help at the request of Hope of Africa and the former US based non profit.  In December Hope Milele Africa provided $3,000 in immediate relief to many of the children and their families.  That relief included food and essentials for their homes at Christmas time.  We also began providing some pay for the teachers. 

Thanks to a generous year end donation in our first year, some mid year support and a growing number of sponsors,  the Hope of Africa Mission School in Ngozi remains open.  Though we are living by faith and prayer, we have been able to provide a hot meal a day for 230 children in desperate need.  It costs roughly $2800 per month to keep this school open which includes meals, school supplies, and some uniforms for the children.  Those funds also cover the salaries of teachers, administrators, cooking and security staff.  Sponsored children get a small amount additional provisions for their families. The school now serves about 320 children. 30 of our sponsored children have moved on to secondary school, where we provide tuition, books and "package care" for their families.  We are currently over half way to covering expenses to keep the school open, but new sponsors and donors are desperately needed.  Once funding is achieved to keep the school open,  we hope to turn our attention and additional funds to improving conditions for sponsored children.  Our focus is to develop community projects that will help achieve self sustainability and some means of support for these struggling families.  

Project Kenya

This is the face of Fred Juma.  Fred was a security officer for the Nazarene Guest House in Kenya, who one of our Board Members befriended while visiting there.  Fred is the father of four children.  He and his family were displaced from their home village, due to ethnic fighting during elections.  They fled for their lives and ended up in Nairobi, where he found work as a security guard, making about $87 USD per month to support his family.  When his sister died of tuberculosis a few years back, he also took responsibility for raising her four children. 

In spite of severe financial hardship, Fred seldom complained.  He greeted people with a warm friendly smile and could often be found reading his Bible or other Christian books, when he was not attending to the gate at the guest house.   Fred was a pastor and a powerful evangelist who loved sharing the Gospel in remote villages around Nairobi.  He brought many souls to Christ and often testified of miracles he witnessed when lives were transformed.

In 2016, Fred went home to be with the Lord at the young age of 44 years old.  He had touched many lives, and laid a strong spiritual foundation for his family to build on.   Fred died of typhoid fever, a disease which is both preventable and treatable.  He lived in conditions with poor drinking water and was lacking in funds and transportation to get proper medical attention.  His wife Pamela also nearly died from the disease. Three years ago one of his children also died of leukemia.

Members of our Board have individually been helping to support Fred's family since he died.  We are praying that child sponsorship and other programs through Hope Milele Africa might help his family, and others with similar needs.   Currently the need is great as one of the children is suffering from leukemia and is in need of medical intervention the family cannot afford.  Our goal is assist with school fees, as well as food and the essential medical support.  We recently picked up another orphaned child in Kenya as well. Funds are now delivered through our Rwanda partner organization, Baho Community. Project supervision is provided by a dear friend who is a member of the Nairobi Police Anti Corruption Unit.

Project Rwanda

At the start of our work in Rwanda, Hope Milele Africa worked in partnership with Uganda based Siyabonga Milele Africa to provide food and supplies to about 40 families in Rwanda.   In April of 2017 we began providing ongoing support, school fees, medical insurance and child sponsorship in Rwanda for a small number of children in Rwanda.  This was needed due to the closure of a US based non profit that had been providing support.  As services expanded,  it was no longer practical or cost effective to deliver services in Rwanda through a Ugandan non-profit. 

In July of 2017 our board voted to shift delivery to Baho Outreach Church in Rwanda.  Baho Outreach Church later formed a separate non-profit called Baho Community to comply with Rwandan Government regulations. We work very closely with Baho Community and have known their leaders for over 20 years. Through church and past associations, they are very familiar with the children we are serving. Baho community works very closely with children and their families to provide high quality services through the non-profit and spiritual support through the Church.. We get regular updates on the children, are made aware of immediate needs and have been provided with excellent accountability for funds.   We are providing over 80 children with high quality education. We have several children in boarding school and 11 kids in college. Two have now completed completed college.. We are providing spiritual mentoring,  medical insurance for their entire families and food when needed during school breaks.