About The Hope Foundation of Kenya
Hope that lasts longer than a meal.
Transformation that reaches further than a classroom.
The Hope Foundation of Kenya exists to break cycles of poverty by walking with children, families, and communities over the long term, meeting real physical needs while sharing the life-changing hope of Jesus Christ.
We don’t believe in quick fixes.
We believe in faithful presence.
And we believe lasting change happens when education, nutrition, medical care, and discipleship work together—rooted in relationship and truth.
Why We Exist
Poverty is not just a lack of resources.
It is a lack of opportunity, stability, and hope.
Children in Kenya face overwhelming barriers: food insecurity, limited access to education, preventable illness, and spiritual isolation. Without intervention, these challenges repeat generation after generation.
Our mission is simple and focused:
To break both physical and spiritual poverty by investing deeply, relationally, and biblically in the lives of children and families.
Our Story
A calling that became a commitment.
In 1998, Bobby and Lisa Bechtel traveled to Kenya and witnessed firsthand the needs facing children and families living in poverty. What began as compassion quickly became conviction.
By 2005, that calling led to the founding of Injili Baptist Church and a small feeding program serving just 25 children near Mombasa. Alongside Allan and Eve Owano, the ministry grew slowly, prayerfully, and intentionally.
25 Years of Faithful Impact
Today, that same commitment has grown into a holistic ministry serving more than 1,000 children every week through schools, churches, medical care, and community development.
What started with a few meals and a shared faith has become a generational movement of hope.
What We Do
We care for the whole child. Mind. Body. Spirit.
Every child served through The Hope Foundation of Kenya receives:
- A Christ-centered education from pre-primary through high school
- Nutritious meals provided daily
- Basic medical care at no cost
- Ongoing spiritual discipleship through the local church
This integrated approach ensures children are not just surviving, but growing into confident, capable, faith-filled adults prepared to lead in their communities.
The Impact of Staying
We don’t measure success in short-term outcomes. We measure it in lives changed over time. Because we stay, invest, and walk with communities for decades, we are seeing fruit that lasts:
- Over 1,100 children educated every week
- More than 17,000 meals provided weekly
- Hundreds of high school graduates
- Alumni attending university and vocational programs
- Clean water provided to rural communities
- Local churches planted and strengthened
These are not statistics. They are future leaders, parents, teachers, and pastors shaping the next generation.
How We Work
Our convictions guide our work
Biblical Foundation
Everything we do is rooted in Scripture and carried out through local churches. We aim to boldly share the gospel while meeting real needs.
Relational Presence
We know the children, families, and communities we serve. Real transformation happens through trust and consistency.
Long-Term Commitment
We choose patience over speed. Faithfulness over shortcuts. Presence over programs.
Wise Stewardship
Donations are directed to specific needs by leaders who live and serve in the communities we support.
Our Programs & Projects
Our mission comes to life through initiatives designed to meet real needs and strengthen communities:
- Child sponsorship for education
- School feeding programs
- Church planting and construction
- Freshwater wells
- Medical care and mosquito net distribution
- Food bundles for families in crisis
- Swahili Bible distribution
- Pastor training and support
- Vocational and workforce development
- Legacy Endowment Fund
Each project exists to serve people with dignity while pointing them toward lasting hope.
Who Leads This Work
The Hope Foundation of Kenya is guided by a committed team of leaders in both Kenya and the United States who share a passion for God’s work and the people of Kenya.
This ministry exists because faithful people said yes to God’s call and continue to serve with humility, integrity, and perseverance.
USA Board of Directors
- Bobby Bechtel, President
- Steve Christiansen, Vice President
- Lisa Bechtel, Treasurer
- Beth Rice, Secretary
- Michael Rice, Director
- Robert McCann, Director
Kenya Board of Trustees
- Bobby Bechtel, Chairman
- Allan Owano, Chief Financial Officer
- Lisa Bechtel, Trustee
- Evelyn Ogada, Secretary
- Denise Conn, Trustee
Why Hope Foundation of Kenya
Presence changes everything.
We are not a distant organization.
We are not transactional.
We are not temporary “relief.”
We know the names, stories, and struggles of the people we serve so that the community experiences change that lasts.
We are seeking to provide more than aid and partnership. We are building generational transformation in the name of Jesus.
Join the Story
When you partner with The Hope Foundation of Kenya, you step into a story God has been writing for decades and will continue for generations.
Sponsor a child.
Fund a mission project.
Pray with us.
Together, we are breaking cycles of poverty and building futures filled with hope.
