The lovely man sitting next to me on my September 2024 flight from Nairobi to Kisumu had tears in his eyes as I explained to him why I was on the flight. He was full of questions from the moment he sat next to me; “Are you traveling alone? Where have you been in Kenya? Why is Kisumu on your list?”  When I told him that I had been sponsoring girls at JAMS for years and finally had the opportunity to go visit the school and meet the girls and the staff, he became teary-eyed and said, “You are making such a big difference. Thank you for caring.”

He wasn’t the only one. Every flight, every Uber ride, every person along the way who asked about my trip was so grateful that I was contributing to girls’ education. Lots of these people have daughters of their own and struggles of their own. The Kenyan people are some of the most genuine and kind-hearted people I have ever met, and those people were telling me that they were grateful to me for helping the people of their country. I couldn’t believe it.

Members of Teresa Wasonga’s family kindly picked me up from the Kisumu airport. After a bit of a drive, I arrived at JAMS. From the moment I arrived, I knew that five days was not  long enough to stay. Everyone was welcoming. The girls were very interested in who I was. They all took time to ask me questions. They also took me around the property to see all that JAMS has become over the years since I started donating. They invited me to their classrooms to see what they are studying. They sang songs and showed me dances. We even shared a rare bit of down-time together playing volleyball.

A moment in time which I will never forget was when I was introduced to Sweeney, the girl whom I sponsor. The look on her face when she realized who I was. Her hug of gratitude. The kindness in her eyes. Sweeney and all of her classmates showed me what REAL hardworking students look like. They inspired me in a way I have not felt before.

The girls wake up around 4:30 or 5 am to do their chores and get ready for the day. They have breakfast and head to class. They take breaks from classes for tea, lunch, and dinner. Their meals are quite organized with each student knowing exactly where to sit and how to help in cleaning. They are so eager to get back to their studies that they finish their meals quickly in order to use the spare time to read and learn more. At night they have “study hall” to complete any homework or extra studies they want to do. Their day ends around 10pm when they finally head to bed.

The girls have such a desire to be well-educated. They know that in Kenya, education after 8th grade costs money, and most families cannot afford to pay the fees. Sadly, if girls aren’t sponsored to go to high school, they will most likely be forced into marriage.

I’ve always been excited about being a part of JAMS, but after having been there, I saw with my own eyes how every donation is spent to help these girls, who otherwise would not have an opportunity to even attend school. I wish I had the ability to sponsor all of the girls and even more, but I know now that even sponsoring just one girl will make more of a difference than I’ll ever know.

Here’s what Sweeney told me: “I felt like stress and fears fell away when I saw you. I went through a myriad of emotions in a short space of time, from euphoria, anxiety to joy and contentment. I felt safe and felt like I have someone who cares and values me. Having seen you will be a great history to tell.”