Andgate goes Green: Miti Mashinani

Andgate Foundation has embraced the call to mitigate on devastating effects of climate change; and to support the protection of the environment for present and future generations. This idea was conceptualized and launched as ‘Adopt a Tree - Miti Mashinani’ as collective responsibility towards the global call to action on climate change.

‘Adopt a Tree’ Initiative was launched on 6th November, 2021 at Tiga primary School in Mahaya Division, Rarieda Constituency,Bondo Sub-County of Siaya County. The colorful event was graced by our Founder and Chairman of Andgate Foundation Eng. Jared Ajwang’a, flanked by the Andgate Pioneer Board Members namely Ms. Catherine Kiriba and Mr. Amos Oyomba as well as CS. Marion Nyapola, Mwalimu Khana Otieno and Mr. Dancun Otieno. The launch was attended by Sponsors, well-wishers, alumni and current student beneficiaries, government representatives, the Church, over 27 Head Teachers and school representatives, Parents/Guardians and the local community. The launch which was attended by over 200 participants also provided an opportunity for inspiring more sponsorships through existing and new networks and appreciating those who have supported our charitable cause throughout the years.

The Foundation elaborately shared practical aspects of adopting and planting trees; encouraging the local community to embrace a green legacy as the only way of securing a sustainable future for generations to come. The award ceremony equally provided an opportunity for appreciation of Andgate experiences by Teachers and community representatives who partnered with the Foundation during the Covid-19 pandemic lock down and unprecedented closure of all learning institutions in Kenya in the month of March, 2020. The team came in handy at a time when the entire globe was grappling with a health disaster whose negative effects cut across both the economic and social spheres of our humanity.The overall objective was to ensure continued learning for the students enlisted in our program in the face of Covid-19 and provide the much needed academic and psycho-social support to help them cope with the adverse effects and to mitigate on the losses.

The launch culminated to a tree planting exercise where over one hundred (100) diverse tree seedlings (fruit trees, exotic and indigenous species) were planted within the school compound of Tiga Primary School.

Just in Time

It’s a warm Wednesday morning of 18th May,2022 and I’m headed to this local Boys Secondary School on behalf of Andgate Foundation; a charitable organization that has rallied together friends and well-wishers from all walks of life to help transform the lives of bright needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

I ushered myself to the waiting bench right in front of the Deputy Principal Administration’s office. Within fifteen minutes of waiting, I decided to show face in the DP’s office. My showing face resulted to a young boy and his mother being requested to wait outside for a while. The occupant of the office pleasantly welcomed me to the seat strategically placed to his left side just next to his table. This was not my intention but Mwalimu insisted that the duo was not going anywhere anytime soon; so I may as well deal and be done with it.

After exchanging pleasantries and a brief introduction of Andgate Foundation and its causes; the DP’s curiosity was piqued. He promised to look into the matters I had brought to his attention but stood to his feet and motioned for the Mother and Son to come back to the office. He introduced them and walked me through their agony,and how the mother had given up all hopes of her son ever joining secondary school, most of it is unprintable. She looked frail; having been discharged from the local Hospital the previous day to come and enroll the boy in school at the Ministry of Education’s directive on 100% transition from primary to secondary school . So she showed up with the boy, just as they were; with nothing.

On this day though, I witnessed the most humanitarian gestures ever in my life. The Teachers and support staff at the school were donating in cash and kind to enable the boy join Form 1 upon learning of his predicament that morning. The DP told me sending them away would be an exercise in futility since they had nothing to return to anyway. One male teacher literally removed his belt and handed it to the young man, another was to purchase bed sheets; somebody volunteered to buy padlocks for his ‘suitcase’; an old rusty piece of metal box that had been abandoned by one of those cool kids who cleared his final examinations the previous year. You haven’t seen or heard of kindness yet: the security guard (watchman) volunteered to paint the box for free and repair the locks to secure ‘the nothing’ he would keep inside. And so this mini harambee went on and on as tears welled in the mother’s eyes; because this moment was very humbling.

As a Foundation we undertook preliminary background checks and held conversations with willing partners; thereafter we enrolled one more beneficiary by God’s grace.

‘Madam you arrived in time! Yes, Just in time!’ the DP concluded with joy.

This experience (among many others) brings into perspective the hurdles endured by many hopeful students in their bid to access secondary school education in rural Kenya. The access may be equal but the opportunities are not! As a society we have a responsibility to the future generations. We can support through kindness, moral and material sacrifices.

You too can be part of this humanitarian cause. Visit our website and support us to transform lives through education. One child at a time!

AndGate Foundation Pioneer Team

Along our journey we have had many people help us set up AndGate Foundation to be what it is today. These are some of the Board Members who have helped along our journey and still support the Foundation away from their previous Board responsibilities.

Mr Amos Oyomba

Mr. Amos Oyomba Board Member and CEO, Perfect infotech International limited(PII LTD). Amos has an inbuilt passion for supporting the less fortunate. His drive is from a personal story based on childhood experience. "No one ever so the need to take me to school, I took myself! I walked into a local primary school in my village, with no idea really what it was that I was going in for. The entry test was simple, I only needed to demonstrate that I was able to touch one of my ears from the opposite hand and I did it! That's how I joined class one.

The biting poverty was overbearing in my childhood, going to school was sort of a luxury to many in the community. As fate would have it, I pulled through to year eight and performed exemplary well in the KCPE exams. Like many kids in Andgate foundation, I didn't have the school fee to join form one. My peers joined secondary school in January, I couldn't! I got myself into casual menial jobs to raise my school fee! I became a truck loader at the age of 15 when my age mates were in school.

The struggle wasn't in vain! Nine months later at the beginning of the third term, I joined form one thanks to well-wishers who so the potential in me! AndGate dream is a true reflection of my story, today I'm CEO of PII Ltd with branches across seven African countries. I pulled through because someone else believed in me. I choose to be in this mission to support the needy kids with pride!"

Mrs Catherine Kiriba

Catherine Kiriba is a highly experienced Customer Management Practitioner, with a strong focus on Quality Analysis, Operational Excellence, Training, and Business Development.

Catherine Kiriba is a go-getter, an avid reader with an inquisitive mind. She holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology from the same University, and a certificate in Leadership from Wits Business School in South Africa.

Mr Albert Mwalugha Mwangeka

Mr. Albert Timothy Mwangeka is a Base Maintenance Manager with Kenya Airways.

Albert is a trained aeronautical engineer licensed by Kenya Civil Aviation Authority & European Safety Agency. With over his 19 years experience in the field of aircraft maintenance, he has developed a passion for nurturing talent and growth for the next generation aviators and decided to bring this nurturing back to the grassroots.

He is committed to bridging the education gap by providing for the bright less fortunate students so that success opens up a world of possibilities for them and gives them something to strive for through AndGate Foundation.