"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others."

-Anonymous

Raphael and Musumba with some freshly donated University of Washington gear and pencils and erasers.

Musumba handing out shoes during a day when items were being donated. Other volunteers, Mary, Jobscan and Nathan helping in the background.

Meet the Volunteers

Raphael Etenyi

Raphael Etenyi, the Founder and Director of Hamomi Children’s Centre was born and raised in Western Kenya. There he attended Primary and High school—graduating in 1990.  After working as a farm laborer to pay off his school debt, he moved to Nairobi where he attended classes in Early Childhood Education. Living in the Kangemi slum, he was overwhelmed by the number of uneducated street children he met on a daily basis. In 1999, after conducting a survey on the needs of the children in Kangemi, Raphael—believing children from all backgrounds deserve an education—founded the Hamomi Children’s Centre.

Running Hamomi for the last decade has meant constant devotion and personal sacrifice. Raphael has worked 7 days a week, 365 days a year without pay. As a result, his wife left him and he now raises their two children, ages 12 and 7, on his own. Raphael depends on the kindness of relatives and strangers to survive and support his children. Even though he lives hand to mouth, has to walk 2 kilometers to and from Hamomi, and can only promise his children a modest future, he says he is motivated solely by his belief in a better future for the children of Kangemi.

Raphael dreams that Hamomi will one day be not just a well-funded and well-supplied school, but a sustainable, loving home for the children.

Musumba Esau

Musumba Joseck Esau was born in 1972 in Western Kenya. He attended secondary school before attending Social Work College. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his degree because of financial constraints.

Having known Raphael since his childhood, Musumba heard about the work being done at Hamomi and decided to join the center in October 2000. At that time there were only 24 students.

Musumba currently resides in the slum Kawangware. He walks 7 kilometers to and from Hamomi each day. His wife passed away, leaving him to raise their two young children, ages six and three. He too, has not been paid since he began working at Hamomi and relies on relatives for food, rent and other basic needs. He admits to sometimes begging on the street for survival. Currently, he cares for his eldest son Henry, who studies at Hamomi. His 3-year old daughter Phibi currently lives with a friend, as her great grandmother who had previously cared for her died last year.

Musumba likes teaching and conducting visits with Hamomi pupils and guardians. He hopes that the future Kangemi community will remember him as a hero.

Eadwine Adanga

Eadwine is 23 years old. He struggled to attend primary school all through growing up, and finally graduated at the age of 16. He completed high school at 20, but couldn't afford to go to college. Since then he has been volunteering in schools, churches and many community projects. He says he's very excited to help these children in need because he was also one of them. 

Nathan Abdala Ukhevi

Nathan is 23 years old.  He was able to attend college in 2004 where he was working towards a degree in Mass Communications until financial instability forced him to drop out of school.  He found the Hamomi community through a friend and wants to "unite hands to assist the needy youth."