timeline
– our history –
Pater timeline
The Power of Giving: Pater through the years
2015-2017
12.08.2015
Pater Foundation Meaning
Pater means “father” in Latin. The verse “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling,” (Psalm 68:5) became the inspiration to be the father to those who didn’t have one. Following Kuka, we believe that education is the way to do that. Culturally, the father sending their children to school, and paying their school fees, is a significant part of being a parent. When a child loses their father, it is most likely that they will not be able to continue going to school. In Kenya, most schools require students to pay tuition and other fees. If you cannot pay your school fees, you can’t attend school, therefore, many children miss months of school at a time and fall behind, or stop attending. Students can reach their full potential if someone helps them by providing primary and high school tuition, and books. In addition, vulnerable students are helped when the adults in their lives get skills training to earn a living or to teach them. In the past decade, we have seen our programs make a real difference in the lives of young people. We are proud of the progress they have made, and we are committed to continuing our work to help them reach their full potential.
05.08.2016
Our first Event: Kids Day
Pater held a neighborhood kids’ day at Nambacha, Kenya on August 5, 2016. Kids from all over Navakholo Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya attended. It was a day of fun, games, and learning. The kids played basketball, volleyball, and other local games. It was such a joy to hear the sounds of singing and playful banter.
During a break in the games, they all got to write down their own names on a colorful sticky note as they got to share more about themselves, their interests, and their ambitions. Many expressed interest in becoming doctors, teachers, nurses, and engineers.
Afterward, the kids had ice cream for the very first time! While sweat treats such as ripe fruit, honey, and even candy were available, ice cream had only been previously available at the county headquarters due to a lack of refrigeration. The joy of a new treat was visible on the kids’ faces as they departed for home with a small gift of a crayon, pencils, or other school supplies.
2021-2022
7.03.2020
The beginning of the Library
We had long known from interacting with the Kids in the area that they enjoyed reading picture books. Often a group of kids would be crowded around a picture book we took with us to Kenya. When Pater visited a nearby private school, we noticed that there were few colorful kids books. With our own young children constantly going to our local library back home we knew how important inspiring reading material was to developing a love for reading and succeeding in the education journey. We decided to do our first book drive and gather books from friends and neighbors. Our first book donors gave new and gently used books. We shipped them over and tried to get some kids in the community a chance to read them but quickly realized we additionally needed a convenient location. Thus the dream of Pater Library was born.
2022-2023
12.07.2023
2023 Donors Visit Students
We were honored to welcome a second donor family of four from the USA to visit their sponsored student in the summer of 2023. The student’s mother traveled for hours to her son’s boarding high school to meet with the donors. Her gratitude for the incredible opportunity their support had provided her son was palpable.
The meeting was profoundly moving to us all as they learned how their ongoing contribution was shaping the child’s future and that of his family. It was heartwarming to them both to discover that the student shared a passion for science with the donors, reinforcing the connection that transcended borders and cultures. The kindness and dignity of their relationship left a lasting impression on everyone involved.
22.06.2015
Pater Foundation’s Beginning
Since its founding in 2015, our organization has been dedicated to improving the lives of orphans, widows, and the distressed. We started the foundation because of the needs we saw around us and convinced our family story offered a pathway out.
Our founder’s grandfather, Kuka, lived in Western Kenya and believed “education is the way out of poverty”. He determined to send all 17 of his children to school through university, which was unheard of back then. His decision dramatically changed the lives of his family and continues to benefit us.
That history gave us an appreciation of the sacrifice others had made to make a difference in our lives. It inspired us to help make a difference in the lives of those who didn’t have someone like Kuka, working hard for education to be their way out of poverty.
We sent our first student to school in 2015 and have since sent 8 students through high school graduation, and we have 20 more students currently in school! On top of that, we have started opening up the first kids’s library in Nambacha, Kenya, to help inspire children to love reading.
2018-2021
17.07.2019
2019 Donors Visit Students
In July 2019, our first donors to travel to Kenya with the Pater Foundation had a chance to visit their sponsored student and their family in their home. They had supported that little girl faithfully over the years. It was an overwhelming experience for donors and sponsored students to meet and exchange stories and gratitude. We still are not sure who benefited more, the donors or the student! The inspiration of the donors’ support has motivated this student to advance in school wonderfully. We are so grateful when the opportunity arises that there can be a time of relationship building. These students are bright, and when they have support it helps them know that they can succeed and accomplish their goals.
22.07.2019
2020-2021 Pandemic
In March 2020 Kenya’s Ministry of Education shut down all schools completely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were sent home and were unable to attend even virtual schools because of the lack of consistent technology, thus pausing their education.
Kenya re-opened a few grade levels in October 2020, those students with major exams, 8th-grade students, and high school seniors, in hopes they would not have to repeat the entire year. In 2021 schools reopened with updated policies: mask wearing, temperature checks, and social distancing when possible. Like most places, parents are both relieved and worried as they see
their students go back to school. Thank you for joining us as we supported our students, and their families continued health and safety while attending classes.
This was a challenging time for our Kenyan students in particular and we are grateful for your partnership through this season. While many of us were feeling uncertainty, we were reminded of the power of giving and loving without expecting anything in return. Helping them took a little bit of the uncertainty away for them and helped them all to have hope to go forward another day. This is what faithful giving to Pater students in the 2020 year did. It gave students hope for their future education. Not having that shaken, was a huge relief to students and their families.
12.07.2023
Library-2023 Preview Day
In June 2023, 10 volunteers traveled from the USA to Nambacha, Kenya to finish Pater’s future library at Nambacha, Kenya. The group spent the day painting walls, assembling shelves, arranging donated books, and inviting kids to visit. There was great anticipation for the first kids from the community to preview what was to come: a location they could call their own.
Over 100 kids attended in the 2 hours once school let out at 4:30 pm that day. At first, there was skepticism that it could be true. Many could not believe the colorful, interesting picture books were for them right there in Nambacha. “How much was it going to cost my family? We don’t have much money!” another child asked skeptically. On being reassured that the library was due to generous support from donors like you, the kids were delighted. They flipped through picture books of all kinds excitedly. During the reading session, they all quieted down and listened attentively. Even without any chairs kids stood or sat on the mat we had brought and heard with delight.
