Places

Our school in Magadi serves children and families in one of the more remote areas of our ministry. Distance and limited access to resources can make everyday needs—education, healthcare, transportation, food, and reliable support—especially difficult for families. For many children, the school and church become much more than places to learn and worship; they are a consistent source of care, stability, and opportunity. Serving in Magadi also means working thoughtfully within deeply rooted Maasai traditions and community structures. While there is much beauty and strength within the Maasai culture, some traditional practices can leave girls and vulnerable children at greater risk or limit their opportunities for education and a different future. Our local Kenyan leaders work within these relationships to advocate for the safety, dignity, and education of every child while building trust with families and the surrounding community. Community life in this region is also highly communal, with an expectation that available resources will often be shared among extended family and neighbors. This spirit of sharing can be a tremendous strength, but in a community where resources are already scarce, it can also place significant pressure on the school and church as they respond to needs extending far beyond the children enrolled in our programs. In Magadi, our goal is not simply to operate a school. We want to create a safe and dependable place where children are known, protected, educated, fed, and encouraged to dream about what their future can hold. Through education, discipleship, and long-term relationships with families, we hope to help strengthen the entire community—one child at a time.

Set within the same peaceful Rift Valley campus as our high school, the Ngong Valley Primary School serves children from the families who live and work within our ministry community, as well as children from the surrounding area. With open space, fresh air, and the beauty of the valley around them, students have a safe and welcoming environment where they can learn, play, and grow. Many of the students are children of GOYA staff members—the teachers, farm workers, ministry leaders, and other employees who faithfully serve our schools and programs each day. Having a quality primary school on campus allows these families to educate their children close to where they live and work while strengthening the sense of community that makes Ngong such a special place. The school also welcomes children from neighboring families, allowing the impact of the Ngong campus to extend into the surrounding community. Inside the classroom, children receive a strong educational foundation while also being encouraged in their faith, character, creativity, and relationships with one another. Ngong Primary School is an important reminder that sustainable ministry is about investing in an entire community. By caring for the children of our staff and opening our doors to families around us, we are building relationships that reach beyond a single classroom or generation. Here, children are surrounded by a community that knows them, encourages them, and helps give them a strong foundation for everything that comes next.

Nestled in the beautiful, rural landscape of Kenya’s Rift Valley, our high school in Ngong feels different from the moment students arrive. Many of our students describe the campus as a retreat—a peaceful place away from the noise, pressures, and instability that can be part of life in the communities they come from. Here, surrounded by open space and natural beauty, students have room to breathe, focus, and begin imagining what their future might hold. Because Ngong is a boarding school, it quickly becomes much more than a place to attend classes. Students live, learn, eat, worship, study, and grow together, creating a strong sense of family on campus. Teachers and staff become mentors, classmates become brothers and sisters, and the relationships formed here often provide the encouragement and accountability students need during these important teenage years. For many, Ngong becomes a true home away from home. The boarding environment also provides something incredibly valuable: consistency. Students have reliable meals, a safe place to sleep, dedicated time for their studies, spiritual mentorship, and adults who are present in their everyday lives. Removed from many of the distractions and challenges they may face at home, students are able to concentrate on their education while developing independence, responsibility, leadership, and faith. Ngong represents an exciting season in the journey of our students. Many have grown up within GOYA’s schools and programs, and arriving at high school is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Our hope is that these years prepare them not simply to graduate, but to step confidently into adulthood knowing they are loved, capable, and created by God with purpose. In this peaceful corner of the Rift Valley, students aren't just preparing for their next exam—they are preparing for the lives they will build beyond our gates.

Our Junior High School in Magadi serves students at a pivotal time in their lives. Growing up in this remote region of Kenya can mean limited access to educational opportunities, transportation, healthcare, and other resources many families need. As students enter adolescence, these challenges can become even more significant, making the opportunity to continue their education incredibly important. For some students, particularly girls, the junior high years can also bring increased cultural and family pressures. Within some communities, traditional practices and expectations can place vulnerable children at risk or make continuing their education more difficult. Our Kenyan teachers, pastors, and leaders work carefully within these relationships, partnering with families while advocating for the safety, dignity, and future of every student. The communal nature of life in Magadi presents another unique challenge. Resources are often expected to be shared among extended family and neighbors, which can be a beautiful expression of community but can also create tremendous pressure when resources are already scarce. The school and church frequently find themselves serving needs that extend beyond the classroom as they walk alongside students and their families. At Magadi Junior High, we want students to know that their circumstances do not have to determine their future. These years are an opportunity to build confidence, deepen their faith, discover their abilities, and prepare for high school and life beyond. By providing consistent education, mentorship, discipleship, meals, and a safe environment, we are investing in young people at a critical moment—helping them remain in school and giving them the support they need to imagine and pursue a hopeful future.

Located in the heart of the South B slum in Nairobi, our school serves children growing up in an environment where instability can be part of everyday life. Families often live in extremely crowded conditions with limited resources, and the transient nature of the community means children may experience frequent moves, changing caregivers, or uncertainty about where they will live from one season to the next. For some children, the challenges extend far beyond poverty. Alcohol and drug abuse, sexual violence, neglect, and unsafe living situations can leave children especially vulnerable. Circumstances beyond their control can interrupt their education and make the consistency many children take for granted difficult to find. In the midst of that uncertainty, our school and church seek to be a place where children know they are safe, valued, and cared for. That consistency is one of the most important things we can offer. A child may not be able to control what is happening at home or in the community around them, but each day they come through our doors, they are welcomed by teachers and staff who know their name and are invested in their future. Here, they receive an education, nutritious meals, spiritual encouragement, and the support of adults committed to protecting and advocating for them. Our hope for South B reaches beyond helping children survive difficult circumstances. We want them to recognize their God-given worth and discover possibilities for their lives that poverty and instability can make difficult to imagine. Through education, discipleship, and long-term relationships, we are working to create a place of stability in the heart of an unpredictable environment—giving children a safe place to learn, grow, dream, and build toward a different future.