Children of Upendo Village Sponsorship Program

The Mission of Children of Upendo Village Sponsorship Program (CUSP)

The mission of the CUSP is to provide the children of Upendo Village with funding for their educational, nutritional, and medical needs so that these children can live with dignity, self-esteem, and compassion to become productive citizens of Kenya.

Who Are the Children of CUSP?

The children of Upendo Village have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Some of these children are HIV-positive as well. The children in CUSP range in age from 3 ½ to 17 years old.

They are frequently being raised by other family members who may not be able to afford to take care of them or send them to school. Consequently, these children are receiving either intermittent education…or often no education at all.

About Us

Karen Claeys and Mary Rittmann are both retired teachers whose children are grown. This is their account of how CUSP got started: "One evening in 2006, we attended a talk given by Sr. Florence Muia. She explained and showed with a photo-laden PowerPoint presentation how HIV and AIDS were affecting the people in Kenya. Upendo Village was her vision to address this epidemic.

We heard Sr. Florence say that the children of these families are often prohibited from attending school, owing to the poverty of their family (sick people cannot work), the need for many children to care for their sick parents, or the need for eldest children to raise younger siblings where both parents have died, which is a common situation there.

We listened in total silence. When Sr. Florence was finished, we turned to one another. I heard myself say to her, "We're going there, aren't we…." And I heard her respond simply, "Yes." Click here to read the whole story.

How Does Sponsorship Work?

Sponsoring a child will provide that child with these essentials:
School fees for one year: $100
Medical care for one year: $120
Food for the entire family for one year: $660

ANNUAL TOTAL: $880
100% of your donation goes towards sponsorship!

The process begins when you select a child to sponsor. You will receive a sponsorship form along with the child's photograph and biographical information. After you mail in your form and sponsorship fee, you can begin writing to your child. In return, you will receive school progress reports and letters whenever possible.

Available Kids

coming soon

Meet Some CUSP Kids!

Check out this photo gallery of just a few of the wonderful children sponsored through the CUSP program.

Success Stories

coming soon