Our story
Stella Kathambi spent 40 years mentoring and quietly paying school fees for disadvantaged children. The foundation continues her work through a structured program
Purpose
Mission
We work alongside vulnerable Kenyan communities to strengthen education, restore dignity, and build market-relevant skills — turning every scholarship and partnership into measurable, locally-owned impact.
Vision
A future where every individual — regardless of vulnerability — is protected by exceptional infrastructure, restored through holistic care, and empowered to reach their full potential under transparent, local stewardship.
Project THRIVE
THRIVE is a 24-month, first-rollout intervention designed for rural Kenyan communities where access to education, protection services, and climate-smart livelihoods is constrained. It pairs mobile delivery 'Knowledge on Wheels' with on-site infrastructure to reach Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), adolescent girls, youth with disabilities, and smallholder farming households.
Rural Kenyan communities, with site selection guided by county-level vulnerability and access data
First rollout, grounded in a community needs assessment of OVC, adolescent girls, youth with disabilities, and smallholder farming families
24 months of phased delivery, with quarterly outcome reviews and an independent year-one audit
270 direct beneficiaries served end-to-end, with indirect reach extending to their households and neighbouring learners
Our values
Six commitments that shape how we design, deliver, and measure every programme
We maintain uncompromising fiduciary integrity and an ISO aligned, data driven tracking system. Every shilling invested yields minimal bureaucratic friction and measurable returns in enrollment, health, and exam transition rates for our beneficiaries.
A hungry, unwell, or marginalized mind cannot easily learn. We protect the whole person through integrated, localized psychosocial and physical support, restoring dignity to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), girls, and individuals with special needs.
We build for the future by adapting to climate realities, resource constraints, and community needs. By embedding sustainability into our programs, we ensure our initiatives create lasting, long term impact.
We ensure unhindered, safe access to opportunity for the most vulnerable while strengthening local systems, collaborating with county and national entities to build sustainable institutional trust.
We break geographic boundaries by taking 'Knowledge on Wheels' directly to the doorsteps of those who need it most, backed by strict process controls so all infrastructure (WASH, ICT hubs, classrooms) meets top tier international standards of safety and hygiene.
We design programs from adult literacy to 'Farm to School' initiatives that foster local ownership over dependency. By equipping students with market ready STEM, digital, and climate smart agricultural skills, we drive economic independence and a 'pay it forward' culture.
Our people
The foundation is led by an independent, non family Board of Trustees that provides strategic oversight, financial accountability, and legal compliance. This structure protects donor confidence and keeps decision making transparent.
Provides visionary leadership and stewards the founding mission.
Guides academic strategy and quality assurance.
Directs financial integrity, controls, and external audit.
Oversees regulatory compliance and legal risk.
Anchors the board in lived community realities.
Ensures inclusive, representative governance.
The Board appoints the Executive Director and Founder, who carries the strategic vision into day to day operations through two specialised divisions.
Handles field execution, monitoring, and evaluation across our scholarship and community programmes.
Manages compliance, financial integrity, donor reporting, and organisational transparency.
Both divisions feed directly into the ground teams executing Project THRIVE in partner communities.
Direct operators of the Knowledge on Wheels mobile fleets, taking learning, health checks, and resources to remote villages.
Localised field teams that secure and manage infrastructure, water, and agricultural assets within partner communities.
Join the mission
Whether you're a student, a corporate partner, or a generous donor, your next step is right here.