History of the School and Founder
Founder Christine Mwende
Jambo Jipya School was founded in 2004 by a Kenyan woman named Christine Mwende. Christine is a native Kenyan woman who has a strong will and passion to help those in need. Her entire life has been dedicated to giving to others. Christine’s first job was as a nurse in a hospital in Mombasa, Kenya. Here she frequently gave part of her salary to help pay for female patients who couldn’t afford medical care for themselves or their children. She saw many women struggling without the support of their husbands and felt a desire to really help them. Despite raising three children of her own as a single mother, Christine took many other single moms under her wing and started not only paying for their medical expenses but also bringing them food and paying their children’s school fees.
When the number of families and children outgrew her ability to support them to the extent she wanted to, Christine started a Community Based Organization (CBO) called Jambo Jipya Medical Project. This organization was founded in 2001 in order to help support women with HIV/AIDS, help provide orphaned and at-risk children with an education, and help those who needed medical attention. The portion of the organization that really took off was the education piece.
In 2004, Jambo Jipya School opened its doors for the first time. While it was only a single mud hut classroom with one teacher, this school drew in a number of needy children of all ages and educational abilities. Once the numbers outgrew the space, Christine added another mud hut and another. By 2007, the school consisted of six little mud hut classrooms and four teachers serving children in grades K-4.
This was the same year that Reason2Smile’s former director, Keela Grimmette, first visited Jambo Jipya School. Thanks to funding from Reason2Smile in 2008, Jambo Jipya Children’s Home was created. While the orphaned children originally slept in the classrooms, funds were eventually raised to allow them to live in a rental home. Keela recognized Christine’s passion for the children and her desire to provide them with not only a primary education (through 8th grade) but a high school education as well. Together the two of them grew the school to nearly 200 students with around 20 teachers/staff members (and all concrete classrooms!).
Jambo Jipya’s first class graduated from 12th grade in 2013 and many students have gone on to trade schools to learn specific skills to find employment. Programs such as Hair Design/Beauty, Catering, Auto Mechanics, Air Conditioning/Refrigeration, Secretarial/Computer application to name a few. In 2017 our first girl was accepted to university and three more were accepted into a nursing program in 2020.
This is a much larger financial obligation for Reason2Smile but we are excited to provide these wonderful opportunities to students.
While the school has continued to grow and thrive, challenges constantly arise. Christine remains focused on her goals for the students and her desire to help them understand that education can truly break the cycle of poverty. This amazing woman has given so many children a reason to continue smiling!
When the number of families and children outgrew her ability to support them to the extent she wanted to, Christine started a Community Based Organization (CBO) called Jambo Jipya Medical Project. This organization was founded in 2001 in order to help support women with HIV/AIDS, help provide orphaned and at-risk children with an education, and help those who needed medical attention. The portion of the organization that really took off was the education piece.
In 2004, Jambo Jipya School opened its doors for the first time. While it was only a single mud hut classroom with one teacher, this school drew in a number of needy children of all ages and educational abilities. Once the numbers outgrew the space, Christine added another mud hut and another. By 2007, the school consisted of six little mud hut classrooms and four teachers serving children in grades K-4.
This was the same year that Reason2Smile’s former director, Keela Grimmette, first visited Jambo Jipya School. Thanks to funding from Reason2Smile in 2008, Jambo Jipya Children’s Home was created. While the orphaned children originally slept in the classrooms, funds were eventually raised to allow them to live in a rental home. Keela recognized Christine’s passion for the children and her desire to provide them with not only a primary education (through 8th grade) but a high school education as well. Together the two of them grew the school to nearly 200 students with around 20 teachers/staff members (and all concrete classrooms!).
Jambo Jipya’s first class graduated from 12th grade in 2013 and many students have gone on to trade schools to learn specific skills to find employment. Programs such as Hair Design/Beauty, Catering, Auto Mechanics, Air Conditioning/Refrigeration, Secretarial/Computer application to name a few. In 2017 our first girl was accepted to university and three more were accepted into a nursing program in 2020.
This is a much larger financial obligation for Reason2Smile but we are excited to provide these wonderful opportunities to students.
While the school has continued to grow and thrive, challenges constantly arise. Christine remains focused on her goals for the students and her desire to help them understand that education can truly break the cycle of poverty. This amazing woman has given so many children a reason to continue smiling!