Our Journey Academy, then and now.....
Our Journey, Inc., has served in Kenya since 2007. "Mama" Maureen Ahern, who founded Our Journey, Inc. in 2003, began supporting local pastors' own efforts to feed and serve those in need in and around Nakuru. "Sunshine Academy", as it was known then, became near and dear to Mama's heart as she saw the children come daily to eat and learn. For the next few years, Mama would send what she could through Our Journey to support the struggling school's efforts to care for the children. In 2016, the decision was made to form a more lasting partnership with the current school leadership whereby Our Journey would take on more a role in the day to day operation of the school. The name was changed to "Our Journey Sunshine Junior Academy" and subsequently moved to a new location just outside the city limits of Njoro. For the next year, the school would operate on what is known locally as the "Turkey Farm", with plans to permanently house the school there. By the end of the first year, though, we knew this location would not allow the school to grow. So, in January 2018, Our Journey purchased a 3 acre farm and began construction on the current school building.
In 2020, the school was forced to close down due to the COVID pandemic due to a government mandate. After its reopening, another time of change would come. In 2021, the local leadership would change and with it a new school name--simply calling ourselves "Our Journey Academy". Subsequently, new teachers, a new school administator, a secretary, new security guards were all hired to move the school forward post-pandemic. The new name required the school to adopt a new logo and with it new school uniforms for each of the students.
So much growth in the past few years and this by no means describes all that has happened or the work that has gone into making it happen. Who knows what the future holds, but we are confident in the partnerships we have developed and direction in which we are headed. Thank you to all of our donors who have stuck with us and helped get us this far. Check out some of the photos below to see just how far we've come.
In 2020, the school was forced to close down due to the COVID pandemic due to a government mandate. After its reopening, another time of change would come. In 2021, the local leadership would change and with it a new school name--simply calling ourselves "Our Journey Academy". Subsequently, new teachers, a new school administator, a secretary, new security guards were all hired to move the school forward post-pandemic. The new name required the school to adopt a new logo and with it new school uniforms for each of the students.
So much growth in the past few years and this by no means describes all that has happened or the work that has gone into making it happen. Who knows what the future holds, but we are confident in the partnerships we have developed and direction in which we are headed. Thank you to all of our donors who have stuck with us and helped get us this far. Check out some of the photos below to see just how far we've come.