EDUCATION PROGRAMS
STUDENT SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
This is MRI’s oldest running program. It pays the annual school fees of deserving students and seeks to create a relationship between student and sponsor. Since its inception, this program has paid the school fees of hundreds of students. This program is actively seeking donors to sponsor students.
TEACHER'S SALARY PROGRAM
This program either pays for school teachers’ salaries or provides a bonus to teachers at select schools. In 2016, all teachers at one school were provided a bonus of one month’s pay from MRI.
SHIPPING PROGRAM
High-risk, high-reward program. The reward is the shipping of much-needed school and medical supplies to Mombasa via an ocean freight container. The risk is dealing with the Port of Mombasa which can be frustrating due to corruption. This program was started because of the lack of desks and books at the schools we support. We have shipped 4 ocean freight containers over the last 15 years and now there are desks in every classroom. At this time we have no plans to do another shipment.
HEALTH PROGRAMS
FEMININE HYGIENE PROGRAM
Female students were missing school every month due to a lack of sanitary napkins. Since 2007 we have provided sanitary napkins to 200 girls every month. This program also provides undergarments for female students.
LUNCH PROGRAM
MRI provides lunch for two of our sponsored schools two to five days per week. Additional sponsorship is needed in this area.
HEALTH CLINIC PARTNERSHIP
We currently partner with Tumaini Children’s Home. This is a thriving school for children who are impacted by the AIDS epidemic.
ECONOMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
GIRL POWER
In Kenya, young girls face more obstacles than any other group or demographic. They are the last to be educated and the first to be exploited. Since our inception in 2001, the Mombasa Relief Initiative has always been sensitive to the needs of young female students. Student sponsorship, girls’ seminars, and feminine hygiene programs are all geared to empower girls in Mombasa and keep them in school. In 2014 we started an all-encompassing program named “Girl power” this program will provide educational, vocational, and internships to the female students we support.
INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE
While not a program this initiative has included installing water lines, water pumps, reservoir tanks, electricity, bathrooms, computer labs, libraries, and other vocational equipment in the schools we support.
EGGS FOR EMPOWERMENT
This program incorporates all three of the initiatives listed in our mission statement. The 500 layers add protein to the students’ diet (Health); the students will be transported to the chicken coop daily and will be taught the proper way to raise chickens and cows (Education); and the coop will sell enough eggs to be self-sustaining (Empowerment).
BOYS TO MEN
Boys to men is a program designed to improve the self-confidence of young men through sports and social interaction.
HAIRCARE PROGRAMS
INITIATIVE
HAIR CARE INITIATIVE
For the past 20 years, The Mombasa Relief Initiative has been working hard to get Kenyan youth educated. The MRI has had success getting youth from primary through High School but the completive nature of higher education in Kenya has left a lot of bright, hardworking youth with very few career options after secondary school.
In September 2022, we started the haircare initiative; this program is a 3-month program that teaches young ladies of all ages how to braid and care for hair in the heat and humidity of Kenya.
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This program is run through a partnership with one of the largest haircare suppliers in Kenya; this ensures these young ladies are getting the training needed to be proficient in their new careers.
After completing the 3-month course these young ladies will have a skill that is always in demand, the ability to do hair. During the first three months, we didn't solicit any donations for this program because we didn't know what all the expenses are; we have now identified all expenses and come up with a sponsorship price for an individual student.
The cost to cover training for a student is $50, this will cover instruction, materials, and hair supplies for the 3 months. Each class will have women of all ages as well as handicapped women.
The next class has started, and we are seeking sponsors for the students; please sponsor a student and give a young lady the ability to be self-sufficient. Thanks for helping us help others.