Our organization has grown three-fold in 15 years with a handful of dedicated administrative volunteers and hundreds of committed child & program sponsors. Here is a description of how we have been making an impact in East Africa.
Data compiled by Darren Cote.
We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve over 300 orphans over the years. Currently we care for nearly 200 orphans over multiple campuses. We are so grateful for some 250 sponsors that have helped us take care of hundreds Kenyan orphans, along with contributing to the livelihood of many faithful Kenyan workers who love God and these kids.
Several children’s homes are supported through AOO funding. Our Ushindi II orphanage (ages 6-13) was bought (on a 5 acre farm) and built, by AOO supporters, mainly from Church of the Woods in Lake Arrowhead, CA. It has been a loving Christian home to hundreds of our sponsored orphans since it opened in 2006.
Abandoned babies, children sick with HIV, and orphaned toddlers call the Rafiki Cottage their home. The cottage was founded in 2011 and overseen by our loving pastor's and families.
Recently, we have purchased new land and are planning to build The Christine Compound in honor and memory of Christine Cote. Christine was a co-founder with her husband (Darren). Christine was the heart and soul of AOO as she was the key worker of this ministry for the first 13 years before passing on to heaven days after her 49th birthday. The Christine Compound stops the moving from place to place and renting to a permanent home for Rafiki Baby & Toddler Cottage and room for farming. The new building will allow for twice the capacity- giving us the opportunity to care for so many more children! The new facility will also be more conveniently located near our support and our other campus, the Ushindi II home.
Childcare related expenses that our sponsorship program covers include the funding for our children's meals, personal supplies & hygiene, mosquito nets, replacement of bedding, medical care and treatment, Christian caregivers (Ushindi & Rafiki), Under 10 Village's rent and Rafiki's lease & utilities.
We have had 4 children who were a part of our program who were adopted by Kenyan parents.
An education for an orphaned child is a very treasured gift in Kenya. A HUGE part of ministry has been being able to provide well monitored, Christian schooling for all of the children in Sponsorship Programs.
AOO supports the Elementary through Jr. High Christian academy, which educates nearly 300 children in the community including our AOO sponsored orphans.
The Victory High School, of almost 100 students, provides Christian schooling and full boarding care for our AOO sponsor teens and other community children.
We have had 96 teens in our Sponsorship Program graduate from high school and our Orphan's College Fund has given over 3 dozen of these graduates the opportunity to attend higher education programs.
Educational related expenses that our sponsorship program covers include the funding for teachers and administrators at the Christian Schools we are supporting (high school, primary & pre-school), necessary school supplies (books, backpacks, pencils, notebooks, etc.), all exam fees for 8th and 12th, the grade grade 9 student setup fee, the housing fees for boarding care of our high schoolers, school uniforms and shoes.
We staff and support caring teachers, caregivers, cooks, guards, managers and pastors in the orphanages, schools and churches in Western Kenya. They are the “hands of Jesus” to the children we care for with our supporters.
