Advanced Education/Vocational Training: October 2025 Impact Report

Empowering Students to Finish their Final Stretch    

HopeCo’s Vision: Transformed Lives, Flourishing Communities

HopeCo exists to rescue children in East Africa from abuse, hunger, and exploitation. We are dedicated to helping them reach their full potential and become leaders and changemakers in their own nations. And we are passionate about seeing individuals, families, and whole communities transformed forever by the power of Jesus Christ!                                                     

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…”               
- Hebrews 12:1b (NIV)

Running the Race  

HopeCo is committed to helping each child succeed – encouraging and supporting their dreams, whether they enroll in college/university or an apprenticeship/internship program (plumbing, welding, electrician, construction, etc.). HopeCo will help them finish well. The following are some of the students who have successfully completed the HopeCo program and are now taking the next step in their vocational pursuits.                                                                                            

SALOME
“I came to the City of Hope in 2009 after my father passed away and our house burned down during a tribal war. My mother didn’t have the finances to take care of my older sister and me, so we moved to City of Hope. I was eight years old, and my sister was ten. City of Hope became our home until 2015, when I came to Mountain Mission School (MMS) in the US on a full scholarship. (City of Hope built a secondary school in 2017.) I grew up in a Christian family and went to church as a child, but I truly gave my life to Jesus during my junior year at MMS! Since then, God has been teaching me that He works in mysterious ways, even when I don’t understand. I’m a senior, majoring in Health Sector Management and Business Management at Milligan University. I chose this major because I want to help people and also understand how organizations function. In the future, I hope to work in a job where I can serve others and grow professionally.”

JUDITH
”I came to City of Hope with my four siblings when I was seven because my dad was a teacher there and he wanted me to further my education. I also came to the US on a full scholarship to Mountain Mission School (MMS). I grew up in a Christian home and have followed Jesus since I was young. The Lord has guided me since. I would like to do Optional Practical Training after graduation, and work with different age groups to remind them that physical and spiritual health is very important. My favorite quote that I learned from our late founder, Dr. John Chacha, is ‘You have come from far, follow what you came to do here.’” 

EMANUEL
“My siblings and I were raised by a single mom. In 2012, when my mother passed away, City of Hope took me in; I was nine years old. Like Salome and Judith, I came to the US on a full scholarship to Mountain Mission School (MMS). I am majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Cybersecurity at Milligan University. When I graduate in 2026, I would like to work as a web developer, a data analyst, or a computer system architect. I feel like God is teaching me right now to be patient and trust in His plans. Philippians 4:13 ‘I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,’ has always been my favorite Bible verse because I know that I can overcome all the challenges the world throws at me when I rely on God. “

SOTERI
This eight-year-old boy came to City of Hope after losing both parents, and because no other family members were able to care for him. Despite this crushing loss, Soteri was determined to focus on his studies at our primary and secondary schools. As this friendly, hard-working young boy grew and thrived, so did his relationship with Jesus! After secondary school, he passed his national exams with flying colors and is now majoring in Clinical Medicine at a local college in Tanzania. Soteri’s dream has always been to become a doctor so he could give back to others without the means to get the medical care they need. 

ANNA
Anna’s family suffered from the severe poverty prevalent in many of the communities surrounding the City of Hope. She and her sister walked to and from their home to attend our primary school. To continue their secondary education, the girls were among those who traveled to the US on a scholarship to Mountain Mission School (MMS). Anna excelled in basketball at MMS, and in 2025, she graduated and was awarded a full-ride basketball scholarship to Radford University. 

JULIANA  
“I was about six years old when my father died. My poor mother couldn't raise eight children alone with no stable income, and that’s when City of Hope (COH) stepped in. My two older siblings and I moved into COH, which became our second home. That’s where I started to learn who Jesus is and how much He loves me. In 2015, God opened a new door for my older sister and me to come to the US to continue our education at Mountain Mission School. A year later, I was baptized, and that’s when I truly chose to follow Him with all my heart. I’m currently a senior at Milligan University, majoring in finance and minoring in accounting. My dream would be to work as a financial analyst after I graduate in 2026.

I’m currently a senior at Milligan University, majoring in finance and minoring in accounting. My dream would be to work as a financial analyst after I graduate in 2026. Psalm 46:5. “God is within her, she will not fail.’ reminds me that no matter what I face, I am not walking alone, God is within me, and with Him, I will not fail.”

GEORGE
Loves to teach the Bible and share the Gospel with his peers. He is a wonderful role model and mentor for the younger children at our Family Empowerment Center-Machakos (Kenya). A middle child with five other siblings, his father passed, leaving the family in the care of the mother, who was unable to provide for her family. This 21-year-old is in his second year at university, pursuing a degree in hospitality management.

GLADYS*
This bright young girl had to drop out of school in the 9th grade because life became more difficult for her mom and siblings. Without complaining, Gladys took on laundry and sold ground nuts in the slum market in Kenya, a dangerous place for any young girl. Thankfully, we were able to get Gladys back in school. She and her mom both cried a lot and were very grateful! Gladys dreams of becoming a doctor one day.

JOHN*
John’s story is indicative of what many children face who come to our Family Empowerment Center-Machakos (FEC-Machakos) for help. The 7th oldest of 10 children, John’s mother abandoned the family after their father died. Their elderly grandmother did her best to care for the children until she passed away. John then took responsibility for the younger children, known as a child-headed family. Despite these tragedies, John has grown to be a caring, responsible young man and a good friend to many.

During one of the Bible study and prayer times regularly held at the Center, John’s life was dramatically transformed by the love of God. Now he often leads devotions and willingly helps out at the Center when he’s not helping out at home. In his free time, you can find John on the soccer field. He dreams of becoming an engineer.

*Name changed to protect privacy

Your prayers and gifts are empowering these young men and women…giving hope…changing lives.

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 Thank you!