We are a public 501 c – 3 Non-profit organizations with clear purpose of serving communities in rural Kenya and beyond. Please see our mission and vision statement.
Our history goes back to when we started the organization in 2009. Since then we have been able to positively impact the lives of more than 1600 individuals and counting. This has been possible through
For more, please see the photo gallery.
Myles of Great Hopes is named after our lovely 5 year old son. It was the best thing ever to just teach him and remind him every day that there is a child his age, older or younger who is not lucky enough and misses out on some basic items like clean drinking water. He represents a bigger group and a wider generation whom we owe support as a human kind under our social citizenship. In so doing, we will be transitioning the humanitarian efforts and making the world a better place for someone.
The inspiration to start the organization was my own story. Born in a big nuclear family of ten, I saw our mom manage business but unselfishly give to the needy at our local village/community. My dad died in 1982 but our mum held us together and observed Christian values and teachings with calm faith and hope.
My parents had invested on a posho mill for gridding maize into flour and our mum used to give some families free flour to cook Ugali for their families. Ugali is a staple food in Kenya. We also had several dairy cows and the milk that we got in the evening was distributed to families that did not have a chance to own cow/cows, for their children to consume the milk. It was from what I saw my mother do to make a difference in these few households and the smiles that she brought to their faces that I started learning about; sharing, helping your neighbor, sustaining hopes and empowering someone. Sadly, we lost our mom in 1998 but her spirit still lives with us and for her, the acts of giving back and helping lives on!!To practice and remain true to these values, Myles of Great Hopes became the best vessel to deliver such services and products in 2009 after we were granted nonprofit status by the US Treasury.
I have bitter memories of classmates and friends who could not afford to graduate from school because they lacked tuition, money to purchase books and uniforms. A good number did not have running water or a well and would travel many kilometers to fetch drinking water from the nearest river. This scenario has repeated itself over the years with little improvement in many villages across Kenya. MoGH is therefore a part of a solution in a wider scale now and for many years to come. We challenge you to come join us and together we will succeed. You definitely have something special to share, to tell us, to contribute as we all make a positive change for someone out there.
Our efforts with MoGH are to remain relevant to the community needs. Our efforts are not politically motivated, or any interest lobby groups related. We remain true to our values in doing the right and needful projects in support of our mission and vision.
We therefore wish to clearly state that we may seem to be wanting to do so much, or our concentration appears very diverse, happily, we see it possible to tackle people's problems in a wholesome way than just a small portion. We wish to provide a water well or drill a bolehole for a community and educate the people on other beneficial ways of utilizing the same water e.g. start a chicken coop, irrigation for tomatoes, cabbages, and onions. Train them on how to market their surplus and start other businesses from the capital gains and through that, we will be empowering and using the resources wisely. We cannot do all this alone, partnering is very essential and we recognize that.
Our three main platforms are divided into three levels;
Under this subject; MoGH will work on water projects for needy schools, computer labs initiatives, science labs initiatives, green energy trainings, healthy leaving clinics, organized sports like soccer, hygiene clinics, food and nutrition trainings, education on teen pregnancy and workshops that will also train the members in areas such as music, arts and craft etc. This will lead to tapping potential talents.
Under this branch we have donated a 10,000 litter's of water tank to Il Bissil Township Primary School in Kajiado. Our second and ongoing project is at IlBissil Girls Secondary School which is also in Kajiado. The project is a water purification sponsored by our MoGH Round Table Partner WaterReclaim Inc. in Wake Forest North Carolina. See more at the picture gallery.
We observe Christian values and principles. There are many churches in remote rural areas that worship in classrooms when students are out on weekends. There are some that have managed to build a semi permanent structure after buying a piece of land. These structures cannot withstand heavy rainfall like el-Niño and other weather related issues like strong winds, which end up destroying these structures hence setting the members back in terms of worship and other related issues.
Our goal is to do what we can in support of communities whose priority is to have a church for worship. In this efforts, our goal is to have bible drives, church constructions, water well for church community, introduce an after school program or a boys and girls club where young people in the community can come and have some training about respect and key responsibilities, enhance independence and confidence levels by encouraging them to have healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable them to develop to their full potential. We also work closely with pastors to identify needs for the community.
We collaborated with Hope Restoration Church International and fundraised for bibles in July 2011. Our fundraiser benefited more than 100 families who received their mother tongue bibles. We also distributed some written in Swahili and English. With an average of 5 people in a family unit, the bible project benefited more than 500 people.
MoGH has identified Karawa Redeemed Gospel Church in Kitui as one that would require such assistance among others.
MoGH envisions the poor and remote communities to be fairy improved by sustaining them on the most basic but more fundamental commodities. By so doing, the organization will be enabling the society to grow economically and in good health aiming at reduce the endless poverty cycle, eliminating robbery cases to some degrees, solving the unemployment rates, improving hygiene levels, elevating sanitization levels, providing home care services as in developed countries, offer training to local people and empowering them to take charge. We also plan to encourage micro and macro enterprising through collaborations, offer training to young youth and steer clear of a career path in small business entrepreneurships. In all these our goal will be to curb down the growing trends of teenage mothers, HIV AIDS, and dependency. We plan to encourage networking, innovation, green energy, hope and purposefulness in life cemented with love, peace and unity.
Under this Branch, a clear survey will have to be conducted and MoGH will spearhead the pilot projects required, offer credible advice or find the right partner for the community to enhance. Encouraging small self help groups may be all it takes, but we will remain true to our mission and vision. We foresee the inter-relationship of one thing leading to another if few more steps are taken. That is why we believe that providing water may be part of the solution but not final. We therefore envision going a step further by educating the community of other possible ways the same water could fetch them income for example; a small entrepreneurship ventures like tomatoes irrigation farming, poultry farming among others.
MoGH has five members who are independent and have a voting right regarding the organization. This enables us to deliberate more and have diverse views and accountability.
MoGH follows the proper use of the organization assets for the sole purposes of the organization. Currently, the organization has no assets but this policy remains in place and we file form 990 every year, which will help report any changes.
MoGH keeps proper financial statements and files form 990 for the accountability purposes and accuracy. We have our treasurer doing the work because we are very small and young with some very minimal budget at the moment. This policy leaves the room open for outside audits especially when we get bigger. Our treasurer heads the financial committee.
We hold meetings, teleconferences and we keep minutes for future references. This helps with our accountability and transparency. Our minutes are not open to the public meaning they are not posted on our website.
In the efforts of making sure our 990 form is accurate, Mogh provide copies to the governing body as a good practice.
MoGH has a conflict of interest policy in making sure we are no serving individual interests but remaining true to the mission and vision.
MoGH keeps records that promote data integrity. The form 990 is filed every year.
The policy on this remains the CEO and all board members do not receive any compensation and are on volunteer basis. This policy will change after growth and need for more time and asset management becomes necessary, especially for the CEO. Form 990 reporting captures this policy.
When that time comes, the process of determining CEO compensation will be done through the bench marking against comparable organizations. That change will be updated on our records and reported on Form 990 Tax return.
MoGH sitting board is not compensated, which we find to be the best practice. It is not illegal to compensate them. The Executive Director has a seat on the board. We list our board members on Form 990.
MoGH respects donors and their privacy/confidentiality. We therefore seek permission to use donor's information on our website and do not trade or share donor's personal information or mail on behalf of other organizations. Donors have the right to tell MoGH to remove their names and contact information from mailing list MoGH shares as opt out.
This helps the donors and general public to see the governing body of MoGH. We however caution that our board members may change and the reported members on Form 990 may differ from our current listing. Form 990 is not as timely.
MoGH will report the financial statements on its website. This will enable the donors to have this information with easy access. We will also post online our recent Form 990 Form.
MoGH considers few of its members as the key staff members. These are the members who run the organization on dairy basis and not necessarily converging during meeting or during a project to be carried on. The President, Vice President, Secretary, Human Resources Director, Medical Director, Networking - Fundraising Director are considered as Key Staff. Form 990 is not able to Cleary tell this because is not as timely.
