KEST Mission Statement

KEST aspires to inspire change through two well-defined missions:

1.To educate Americans to be responsible and effective global citizens both by serving and learning on the ground in Kenya, and by participating in continued opportunities after returning home; and

2.To develop a U.S.-based network of volunteers to provide sustainable support to improve the quality of life for Kenyan communities in need. KEST continually takes on new challenges to create authentic service opportunities that address the needs of the communities we visit.

KEST activities are intended to be part of the solution, focusing the needs identified by the service locations matched with the passions and talents of our volunteers. Examples of current projects include:

      • The “Tuko Pamoja” initiative hopes to create a sustainable U.S. marketplace to generate income for six Kenyan women’s artisan groups: Nyumbani Village Grandmothers, Kibera Paper workers, three self-help groups from Nyumbani Lea Toto sites, and the mothers of the Pastoral Community Development Alliance (PCDA), a Maasai community. Their wares are imported to the U.S. and sold through Tuko Pamoja at home-party events and business presentations.
  • Cross-Cultural Educational Programs (CCEP) is a KEST effort to reinforce cross-cultural pollination between Kenyan and American schools. Some of the on-going projects include:

– A sister-school exchange between the students of The Woods Academy in Bethesda, MD and students attending the Hotcourses Primary School at the Nyumbani Village.

– The Young Ambassadors Club (YAC), an after-school enrichment program for middle-school students at Nyumbani Village, remains a central component of CCEP. This project teaches the values of leadership, community service and peaceful conflict resolution in order to become Kenyan ambassadors.

As always, KEST trips are customized to the interests and talents of our volunteers, so sign up for a Kenya Educational Service Trip TODAY!

It is never too late to change the WORLD, one small corner at a time.