Neema is the Swahili word for "grace"…

It all began in response to a visible need to restore and infuse hope into the lives of vulnerable young women in Kitale, Kenya and the surrounding region. Extreme poverty leads these young women into desperate situations marked with shame and indignity. Unwed mothers, orphans, and girls at risk of being sold into early marriage and/or involved in prostitution for survival are among those welcomed into the Neema family.

Girls in Kenya worshipping at a Christian school

At Neema, we step into the lives of these young women to serve and equip them through Christ-centered discipleship, counseling, and quality skills training. Our hope is that each Neema student will be restored from the inside out. We see them not as girls marked by shame, but as beautiful young women made in the image of God and created to flourish. Our highly skilled team of Kenyan staff demonstrate passion and compassion each day as they work alongside the students in their care.

Since 2014 the Neema Project has impacted the lives of 134 young women and their 50+ children. We’ve seen Jesus bring healing and hope into the deepest places of trauma and hurt, and many of the young women have experienced great transformation: they’ve developed and grown in their relationships with Jesus, they’ve reconciled with their families, they’ve entered into healthy, Christ-centered marriages, and they’ve found dignified employment as graduates of Neema, allowing them to provide for their family’s physical needs. In fact, local technical schools have even inquired about the key to Neema's success as the majority of our students pass the Level 1 and Level 2 National Dressmaking Certification Exams. Hope is being shared in the towns and villages around Neema as the lives of our students are reshaped and restored.

Young woman in Africa laughing with her child

Entering into the life of a young woman at her deepest point of vulnerability, extending her grace, and infusing her with hope is a hard and beautiful work. And it’s made possible through partnerships with like-minded individuals, families, churches, and businesses - those who desire to extend love, grace, and compassion so each of these courageous young women can be transformed.

We believe this is only the beginning!

 
 

Check out our blog to read some current Neema stories!

Our Stories
Graduation Day at Neema
Graduation Day at Neema

The graduates said that Neema has really transformed their lives. They not only learned new skills through the training, but they also developed a personal relationship with God thanks to the morning and evening devotions at Neema, and felt that the counseling services increased their self-esteem and improved how they relate with others. 

Staff Stories: Lilian
Staff Stories: Lilian

“I used to do casual work, I saved and I started a business frying chips, but it did not end well, so there was this day that I prayed to God and told him that I needed work. Like two weeks later there was an advertisement [for work at Neema]. I checked the requirements and decided to give it a try and through God's doing I was employed.”

Your impact in the lives of women like Winnie reaches 8x as many people!
Your impact in the lives of women like Winnie reaches 8x as many people!

As a teenager, Winnie was abandoned by her father and her mother passed away. She had to drop out of school by 9th grade because she lived in extreme poverty and couldn’t afford school fees. Like many vulnerable young women in rural Kenya, she became pregnant. 

Urgent Medical Care Provided for Women and Children In Need
Urgent Medical Care Provided for Women and Children In Need

While at Neema, young women (and their children) are provided with essential medical care that would otherwise not be accessible. Transportation to healthcare centers ensures that students and children can visit doctors, undergo imaging and testing, and receive physical therapy when needed.

Staff Stories: Eunice K.
Staff Stories: Eunice K.

Eunice, Neema’s Business Skills Development Mentor, says, “My relationship with God has been everything in my life. It has helped me to never give up and through church I was able to get a friend who directed me to Neema to apply for this job position.”