In 2009 a Canadian couple with a dream and $1000 in their nonprofit  bank account were inspired to build schools in Kenya for refugees displaced by political and tribal violence. Stu McLaren, an internet marketer and his wife, Amy, a second grade teacher, wanted to bring two things to these communities: hope and education. They co-founded World Teacher Aid to make it happen.

Pete and I jumped in with enthusiasm – fundraising, traveling, actually building schools in Kenya with our own hands – and our lives have been enriched in ways we never could have imagined.

Since then, we have visited Kenya three times to help World Teacher Aid build schools. We've helped to complete two primary schools and one high school. You may have read about some of our experiences in blog posts.

To spread the joy, we’ve gathered several of our blog posts and photos from the last 5 years. They tell a remarkable story.

Here are some of the topics we've covered based on our experience in Kenya. Each title below links to an article on the subject.

The Transformative Power of Hope
My Visit to a Counseling Center in Africa
Kenya, a Journey in Negotiation
(a video of Pete and Ellyn negotiating about their trip)
Joy, Reslilence and Gratitude

There is a lot we can learn about the power of community in healing. Whether you catch our fever-pitch enthusiasm, or just feel a warm, hopeful glow, you will surely be touched by the inspiring work of this small organization.

Take a minute to enjoy a small collection of photos from a few of our trips!

“Asante sana!” That’s Swahili for “thank you very much.”