By Debra aka Brique Zeiner | Chairwoman
The Miracle of Sponsorship
How one simple act creates a lifetime of change
Live and Learn in Kenya International – Sponsorship Impact Report
Sponsorship is more than just financial support—it is a lifeline. It is a promise. It is a miracle. At Live and Learn in Kenya International (LLK), the power of sponsorship transforms lives daily, lifting children from the harshest realities of poverty and placing them on a path toward education, self-worth, and opportunity.
Since its humble beginnings in Selb, Germany, LLK has grown into a dynamic non-profit operating in Nakuru, Kenya, thanks to the generous hearts of sponsors from all over the world. These sponsors are ordinary people doing extraordinary things—changing the trajectory of young lives and creating ripple effects that strengthen families, communities, and future generations.
Why Sponsorship Matters
In Kenya, attending school isn’t free. Even public schooling requires families to pay for:
School fees
Uniforms
Shoes
Exercise books and pens
Daily meals
Hygiene supplies
Transportation (when needed)
For families living in the slums of Baruti and surrounding areas, these costs are simply impossible to bear. Many parents live on less than a dollar a day and are often forced to choose between feeding their children and sending them to school.
This is where sponsorship becomes a beacon of hope.
For just US$360 per year, a child receives:
Complete school fees
Two school uniforms and shoes
Books and supplies
Access to a fully-equipped school facility
Daily nutritious meals
Full medical and dental care
Access to sports, arts, life skills, and extracurricular activities
Support from social workers and caring staff
That’s just $1 a day—to completely change a life.
How It Works
Each year in October, the local chief introduces the thirty neediest children from the Baruti slums to LLK’s project manager. These children are carefully assessed and registered into the program. If they receive a sponsor before January, they begin school at the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center with the start of the new school year.
If not, they are placed on a waiting list—and the team works tirelessly to find a sponsor for each of them.
Once a child is sponsored, the relationship begins. Sponsors receive:
A personal profile and photo of their sponsored child
Annual letters and artwork from the child
School reports and updates
The opportunity to write, send gifts, and even visit
The child, in return, receives more than financial support. They receive love, motivation, and identity. They learn that someone far away believes in them. That they matter.
Impact by the Numbers
Over 580 children currently benefit from LLK’s sponsorship program.
More than 1,500 children have been sponsored since the beginning.
Over 90% of LLK graduates go on to high school, vocational training, or university.
More than 100 sponsors have traveled to Kenya to meet their sponsored children.
100% of sponsor funds go directly to the child’s support—administrative costs are funded separately.
Stories of Change From Slum to Scholar
A girl once living in a shack with six siblings, barely able to eat once a day, is now studying nursing at college —thanks to her sponsor of ten years, who supported her from first grade to college.
From Sponsored to Sponsor
One young man, now employed as a teacher, was once sponsored himself. Today, he is one of the best teachers at the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center, instead of teaching at a better-paying government or private school as a way of giving back. “Someone once believed in me. Now it’s my turn,” he says.
Beyond the Classroom
Sponsorship helps children access not only education but also confidence and creativity. Many join sports teams, art classes, and even drama and music clubs. They grow in every directio
Sponsor Testimonials
“I thought I was just sending money to help a child go to school. But I gained a friend, a daughter, a family. Sponsorship gave me more than I ever expected.” – Martina, Germany
“When I met my sponsored boy in Nakuru, I cried. It felt like meeting someone I had loved for years. It made it all real. He’s now in high school and I couldn’t be prouder.” – Steven, UK
“I can’t fix the whole world. But I can help one child. That’s enough.” – Helen, USA
How Sponsorship Transforms a Community
When one child is sponsored, the effects reach far beyond the school gates. Sponsored children bring hope home. Parents are empowered. Siblings are inspired. Communities begin to change.
More sponsored children = fewer dropouts, early pregnancies, and criminal activity.
Sponsored children become role models, helping to uplift others.
Sponsorship reduces generational poverty by enabling education, health, and employment.
The LLK Commitment to Transparency
LLK operates with complete financial transparency. Every sponsor is kept informed of how their donation is used. School reports and letters are regularly shared. And all donor funds go directly toward the child’s support.
Visits are encouraged. LLK welcomes sponsors to Nakuru to meet their sponsored children, see the Education Center, and witness the impact firsthand. Every sponsor becomes part of the LLK family.
How You Can Become a Sponsor
Becoming a sponsor is simple—and life-changing.
Visit our website or contact us directly.
Choose a child or ask us to match you with one in urgent need.
Commit to US$360/year or €360/year, payable annually or monthly.
Receive your welcome packet with your child’s photo and short description.
Watch a life transform—letter by letter, report by report, year by year.
Special Sponsorship Options
Partial Sponsorship: Share a college or university support with another sponsor.
Group Sponsorship: Classrooms, companies, or families can sponsor together.
Emergency Sponsorship Fund: Help support unsponsored children temporarily until a full sponsor is found.
A Message to Sponsors – Past, Present, and Future
To those already sponsoring:
You are the miracle. You are the reason a child is in school, healthy, and dreaming of a better tomorrow.
To those considering sponsorship:
You don’t need to be wealthy. You just need to care. One small decision can change a lifetime.
To every single person who believes in children:
You are the heartbeat of Live and Learn in Kenya. You make the impossible possible.
Asante Sana – Thank You
From the children of Baruti,
From the teachers, cooks, and caregivers,
From the mothers and fathers whose hearts are fuller,
And from all of us at Live and Learn in Kenya International:
Asante Sana – Thank You.
You are making the world a better place, one child at a time
Brique Zeiner
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