Partnership Overview

For several years BHW has been supporting Harvest Partnership and their work in the Great Lakes area of Africa and Kenya. One of the ministries that developed was a street kids work in the town of Mariakani, near Mombassa. This work, KENSHA Youth Outreach, grew and now there are about 250 kids engaged every week, being encouraged and mentored. They run football teams and small group meetings and regularly see people coming to faith. The football teams do well in their games, regularly winning the leagues they are in. There are several teams including a girl’s one. As well as competing in the football leagues, they go to nearby villages to play and gather young people and share the good news. They are being recognised by the local authorities as doing something great. County leaders are seeing that youth involved with KENSHA are being kept from crime and drugs and they ask Shaban to talk to gatherings and in villages.  

The work in Mariakani is based around a small plot of land and a house. At any one time there are between 15 and 20 young people living at the house as they have nowhere else to live and the need has arisen to educate some of the young people. Some have been sent to schools, but many have missed school so are encouraged to get into training of some type. They have a daily Bible reading routine and encourage one another, sharing with each other every day resulting in a strong bond amongst the young people.

However, several issues have made educating these boys difficult to sustain, the major one being the high cost of education in Kenya. As many of these young people have not completed formal education, they cannot attend state schools, nor do they qualify for government tertiary training without large sums of money. Private schools are based on the boarding system which makes it very expensive. 

Even though the young people are not well educated, it does not mean they are not smart. Those currently involved are achieving very well and topping their classes.  

History of Partnership

BHW has been partnering with Harvest Partnership since 2012, supporting a number of their key people. We have known the key leaders for many years and understand the impact of the work in this part of the world, as well as knowing the Board in New Zealand well.   

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries will be the young people selected for this scholarship programme. They will be boys who have excelled in their high school studies and who have the potential to succeed and gain employment following tertiary training.  

What We Like About The Partnership

Shaban has been involved in this community for a long time and has a real passion to see the lives of street kids changed. This is a family and lifestyle for these young people. 

The gospel is a key part of the programme here and young people are regularly coming to faith.

The project is already underway and several of those getting the scholarships are well into their studies. 

There is good mentoring for the group and the individuals. 

This is an opportunity to help this ministry become self-sustaining from within the country. 

Key People

Leadership Profile

Shaban Kalama (right) is the leader of the work in Mariakani. He and his brother Eddy Nzaro became street kids after their parents died. Their father was a Moslem who married a Christian lady after promising to become a Christian. After 15 years he had not kept his promise but was demanding that his wife and children become Moslems. She and the boys left home and went to live in the family village. Then, she died. The children had to return to their father but soon he died as well, and they became homeless. They lived in a roofless building and scrounged and prayed for food and clothing. The seed of God’s Word remained in them and in 2005 they were led to the Lord. In spite of difficulties, they continued in their faith and became strong followers of Jesus. Sometime later their other brother, Alfan, came to join them on the streets (see his story below). 

In 2007 Harvest Partnership met Shaban. After experiencing a football-based outreach in the Kiambu slum in Nairobi, he realised that the young people in his hometown of Mariakani could be reached and he returned home. In 2011 the KENSHA football outreach project became a reality. Its purpose is to develop the kids through football and Jesus. 

Shaban and his team are giving the young boys hope, meaning and purpose. When Shaban prays he usually finishes by asking God to “help those who have no food, no good clothes and no roof to sleep under.” That was his life previously.  

Other People Involved

Pastor Bob (left) from Kisumu oversees the work of the team in Mariakani. He is a pastor and someone we have known for many years. He visits from time to time to help them with decision making and pastor them and encourage them. 

There is a team of young people who assist Shaban with the day-to-day leadership and operations of the programme. 

Vision And Annual Strategy

Vision 

The vision for this programme is to see several of the young people gain a good education and then gain employment. This will mean they will be able to support the programme themselves and not be dependent on external funding.  

Strategy

Each year a number of boys who have excelled in their high school studies will be selected to receive a scholarship for tertiary training. 

Annual Budget

The annual budget here is US$5,500 with an initial 3-year commitment. 

Personal Testimony

Real "Life Change" Stories

Alfan is the youngest of the three Kalama brothers. Their mother, then their father, died one year apart while they were still children. Their Moslem father had helped a young man to be educated right through to his qualification as a doctor. Then the doctor promised to educate Alfan in return but stopped at the end of primary school. Homeless, he joined his brothers who lived in a deserted roofless house in Mariakani. Harvest Partnership booked him in at a friend’s Christian high school for a year where he understood about Jesus who became his Saviour. He then went to a Baptist High School in Mombasa where he did well in his schoolwork and in following the Lord.  

When one of the young men who was part of the group was accidently killed, some friends began to sponsor his little daughter whom he never saw. Alfan became the mentor and a faithful encourager of the family. The grandmother put aside her bourka, believed in Jesus and became radiant.  

Harvest Partnership then funded Alfan’s training as a chef. In the five years of his chef and hoteling course he was always top of the class. It was an expensive course term by term, but the Lord supplied. Alfan has applied himself – not content with anything else but being the best.

In mid-May 2023, the top students from all the course providers in the Kenya coastal region were called together. The two top students were to be given a prize: chef development and employment opportunity in Canada. Alfan was one of the two selected to go to Canada. He has always said that once he is working, he will be a supporter of KENSHA Youth Outreach expecting that to be in Kenyan Shillings not in a stronger international currency, so he is excited and thankful to God. This is exciting! A miracle that one of three orphan brothers has such an opportunity. The brothers are all thrilled. It is an encouragement to everyone that KENSHA youth can have a great future.