Our Founders
Derek and Mary Jane Bevan have been involved in helping young children in western Kenya for over 16 Years
They have now committed their lives and personal finances into getting Village of Hope off the ground by purchasing 5 acres of land in the beautiful valley of Gwassi close to Lake Victoria. In 2004, Derek along with a few friends, began to help existing schools in Kenya build classrooms, dormitories, drill water wells and develop a sponsorship program. Both he and Mary Jane made their first visit to Kenya in 2012 to see the work first hand and meet the children to better access the needs and improve ways to assist. Derek, when first approached about helping in Kenya had this to say….’No, not interested, I have already got my hands full here in the USA, no, absolutely not interested.’ Hundreds of children are now so very thankful that the NO became a YES.
Why Village of Hope?
Kenya is known for its stunning landscapes, diverse terrain and fascinating wildlife. Yet despite the beauty that lies within this country and its culture, there is historical gender biases and practices such as polygamy, wife inheritance, early marriages and female genital mutilation that are still practiced today and are adversely affecting its people. According to the World Health Organization 'gender disparities are significant, particularly in the rural areas of the country, where there is a decrease opportunity for women that exists and persists.' Village of Hope's mission is to empower these woman and girls to be actively invested in their future and give them the emotional and educational skills to accomplish those goals. We believe decreasing gender inequality and barriers to opportunity will help promote an empowered, resilient community.
Our Vision
At Village of Hope, we are trying to create a lasting impression in the community by emulating a response that occurs much like one after a natural disaster. After a disaster takes place and wreaks havoc, relief agencies come in to address basic needs with a first wave or responses supplying water, tents, and food. After the danger of hunger, disease, and death have been removed, the second response begins in helping rebuild the community. This two-fold approach is what we are doing at Village of Hope; creating a response to the plight that young girls commonly face from abuse and forced early marriages. The Girl's Home represents the first response of rebuilding for the girls in this type of disaster. The VOH Academy is the second response, serving as a mixed primary school with the objective of challenging and changing how the community values these girls through education to these children, especially the boys, that girls are not a "commodity", but equals in the community. It is our vision that this two-fold approach will have a lasting positive impact in the community.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Empower a community through education! Educate girls for equality and educate boys for a cultural change. Please consider sponsoring a primary school student at VOH Academy. You can also help by donating to our projects, volunteering in Kenya, or visiting your sponsored child! Your donation provides students, both girls and boys with food, clothes, medical care, school supplies, education, mentoring, counseling and vocational training, along with a safe place to live and thrive for the girls in the Girl's Home. Our goal is to show the community that these girls can break free and live outside of fear and discrimination. Partner with us!