KEST Partners

Dimesse Sisters Retreat Centre – A beautiful, serene environment where guests can rest and reflect on their Kenyan experiences, it is the primary place of lodging for KEST travelers. Some KEST journeys include a service opportunity at the Dimesse-sponsored orphanage, the Talitha Kum Children’s Home, about four hours north of Nairobi. Like the Nyumbani Children’s Home, Talitha Kum serves HIV+ orphaned children.

Nyumbani – KEST was originally founded to serve the Nyumbani community. Nyumbani has three programs that assist orphans, children, and families affected by HIV. KEST trips visit all three Nyumbani sites: the Children’s Home, the Village at Kitui, and Lea Toto slum centers.

Pastoral Community Development Alliance (PCDA) – KEST serves and donates to the alliance in an effort to improve living conditions for Maasai men, women and children in Kiserian, Kenya. The alliance is a collaboration of manyattas, or villages, that has established educational programs and income generating projects to enhance opportunities for their communities. Currently, KEST has two projects with PCDA: to enhance the educational experience for fifty pre-school students through improved facilities and educational resources; and to create an international marketplace for the women’s crafts.

Spurwing Travel and Tours – Spurwing and KEST collaborate to create a memorable, unique adventure in Kenya. Each KEST trip itinerary is custom-made to the needs and desires of the travel group. This would not be possible without the expertise and thorough local knowledge of Kenya that Spurwing brings to the table. Spurwing provides the transportation for every KEST traveler. Additionally, Spurwing leads safari trips to Maasai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park for KEST. Their staff is friendly and professional, assisting KEST from arrival to departure!

The Woods Academy– Located in Bethesda, Maryland, The Woods Academy is a Pre-school through Grade 8 “inclusive Catholic Community preparing boys and girls to lead lives of significance.” KEST’s Cross-Cultural Educational Programs (CCEP) has teamed with The Woods Academy to co-ordinate a Sister School Program with Hotcourses Primary School at Nyumbani Village in Kitui, Kenya. The program focuses on two educational project exchanges per year by grade level, between the two schools.