Maisha Friend
As I write to you from our spring rainy season here in Kisumu, Kenya, I reflect on the unsung heroes who make Maisha possible. There are moments in life when words feel too small to carry the weight of what the heart feels. This is one of those moments.
I am excited to share with you in this newsletter the progress that you have made possible, upcoming local events, and one ask I have for you.
One project, especially, rests close to my heart.
Growing up, I drank water from the river—water that looked like chai. I remember a time when I drank hot water, believing it was tea. That was my normal. That was our reality.
Today, that reality has changed.
We have successfully installed a commercial water purification system at Maisha. And now, the children here will never have to know what it means to drink unsafe water. They will never have to question whether what they are drinking is clean or harmful. They simply get to be children—with access to something as basic, and as powerful, as safe water. That alone is a miracle.
Since the beginning of this journey more than 20 years ago, I have had the privilege of walking nearly 2,000 people through my village—through my childhood home—sharing not just a place, but a story. A story that refuses to be defined by a single narrative. A story of resilience, dignity, and hope. To open up my world in this way has always been personal. But what we experienced these past weeks has been transformational.
As I reflect on all that has happened, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
To our donors, partners, volunteers, and every unseen hand that made this possible—you are the unsung heroes of this story. Your generosity, your belief, your willingness to show up… it is changing lives in ways that cannot always be measured, but will always be felt.
Beatrice Williamson
Founder, The Maisha Project
March Momentum and Summer Missions Ahead
Over the past three weeks at Maisha Kenya, we have witnessed something extraordinary—something deeply human, deeply powerful. We welcomed a beautiful, diverse family of volunteers from New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, and the United States.
Though they came from different corners of the world, they arrived with one shared purpose: love in action. One of the graduate students who joined our team was Tamar Stollman from Tufts University.
I am filled with humility, for having been welcomed to Maisha Academy, and to Kenya, with so much enthusiasm and excitement. Spending time with the children, learning about agroforestry, and sharing space and meals with Maisha Staff has showed me that through hardship, resilience, and love mark the best way forward. Thank you to the Maisha Project for hosting us on this visit and for sharing your pride and joy for your community and your work with us.
– Tamar Stollman. March, 2026.
- Summer mission trip opportunities are ahead this June and July. Travel with us for a 10-day volunteer program in Kenya. This is perfect for college students, career professionals, and small groups.
Integrated Medicine and Public Health, Farm-to-Table School Meals Volunteer, and Regenerative Agriculture & Food Systems Volunteering. Click to learn more.
Solar Power for Today, Hospital Readiness for Tomorrow
We have now gone green. A major infrastructure milestone was reached this March with the completion of solar installation on Maisha’s academic building.
Because of you, more than 300 students now have reliable electricity to study every evening. At our clinic, now more than 1,000 community members annually are able to seek healthcare without electricity power outages.
This installation of solar and battery backup systems provides reliable electricity for the Maisha academy and clinic. As we open the first hospital of its kind in Kisumu this 2027, we are grateful to know that we will now be able to offer 24/7 care to our community.
Our Ask To You
Today, more than 750 children in Maisha's community risk not being able to seek an education due to a lack of school fees. We need your financial support. Education is the most powerful way to interrupt cycles of poverty and expand future opportunities.
Through Maisha's Legacy of Hope Child Sponsorship Program, we provide vulnerable children at our academy and our 18 partner schools in Kisumu East with school access, daily meals, and healthcare support. This is a child's pathway toward long-term stability.
Biannually, Maisha social workers conduct home visits and use a structured assessment process to ensure we are keeping the most vulnerable children in school. When a child is sponsored, 96% of girls and boys stay in school year after year. They also increase their literacy and numeracy scores by 94%.
My friend, will you sponsor a child?
- $10,000 supports 24 primary school students for a full year.
- $4,200 supports 10 primary school students.
- $420 supports 1 primary school student.
Upcoming Local Events
Save The Date
A Night for Africa at Nosh Restaurant will take place on July 24, 2026, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM.
Join us for an evening of culture, community, and meaningful impact in support of children and families in Kenya.
Host A Night For Africa
Partnering with us on a Night For Africa fundraiser is the most practical way to introduce new people to Maisha’s work and create a local gathering with international impact.
If your church, business, family, or community network would like to host a Night for Africa, this can be done anywhere across the United States.
Because of you, children are drinking clean water. Families are receiving care. A community is rising stronger, healthier, and more hopeful.
And because of you, a dream that once felt distant is now a living, breathing reality.
From the depths of my heart—thank you.
Beatrice Williamson
The Maisha Project