Greetings!

What an exciting season it is for all of us here at CLCL! We are counting down the days until our team departs for Kenya on May 19, and we could not be more eager to reconnect with the children, families, and communities that make this work so meaningful. But before we go, we need your help.

Sponsored Children’s Day is just around the corner, and we are still raising the funds needed to make it a celebration these kids will never forget. Your generous gift — no matter the size — goes directly toward creating a day of joy, belonging, and hope for children who need it most. 

This issue is packed with stories straight from the heart of our mission. Get an inside look at what a typical day looks like for our dedicated CLCL workers in the field — the early mornings, the challenges, and the moments that make it all worthwhile. We are also shining a spotlight on two remarkable children whose stories will inspire and amaze you. Both are a testament to what is possible when a community rallies around a child. One of these young lives is still waiting for a sponsor — and that sponsor could be you. 

Thank you, as always, for standing with us. None of this happens without you. 

Jennifer Wynne

President and Founder

Every year, Sponsored Children’s Day is a moment of pure joy — a day when children in our program feel the warmth of knowing someone, somewhere, cares about them. This year, our attendees will help to mentor the children, play games with them, dine with them, and give them backpacks full of surprises!  



Send a Card. Brighten a Day. 

Not every sponsored child receives a card from their sponsor on Sponsored Children’s Day. If you’d like to make sure no child feels forgotten, consider sending a generic card that we can deliver on your behalf to children who don’t hear from their sponsor. A few kind words can mean the world to a child who rarely receives any mail at all. 

Give the Gift of Dignity 

For just $50, you can give a sponsored child in Kenya a celebration they will never forget—and items that will change their daily lives. Each $50 gift provides: 

• 🍽️ A warm lunch — for many children, a rare treat 
• 🎒 A backpack filled with essential toiletries like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste 
• 💡 A solar lamp — bringing light to homes without electricity 
• 🧦 Five pairs of underwear — a basic necessity that most vulnerable children in Kenya simply do not have 

It may surprise you to learn that something as fundamental as underwear is out of reach for many of the children we serve. For a child who has never owned their own pair, this gift is not a small thing — it is a profound act of care and dignity. 

Why This Matters 

Kenya’s most vulnerable children face daily hardships that are difficult to imagine. Many go without basic hygiene supplies, study in the dark after sunset, and lack clothing essentials that most of us take for granted. Sponsored Children’s Day is our opportunity to close that gap — even just for a moment — and show every child that they are valued, loved, and worthy of celebration. 

How to Give 

Your donation of $50 — or any amount — goes directly toward making Sponsored Children’s Day a memorable and meaningful experience for the children who need it most. 

Donation options are listed at the bottom of this newsletter.

Prepared by: Wyclif Gitonga

At Changing Lenses, Changing Lives-Kenya (CLCL-Kenya), each day starts with a commitment to support sponsored children and their families, no matter their location or the challenges faced.  

Mornings often begin with updates from the schools, and other times from the parents/guardians to the sponsored children. These messages highlight children who may have missed school, are struggling academically or emotionally, or whose families are facing new hardships. These insights help shape the day’s priorities. Financial statements are reviewed daily to ensure that school fees, medical needs for the sponsored children, and essential supplies are provided on time. Every decision in the office is deliberate, balancing urgency with sustainability, because behind each allocation is a child who relies on consistency and trust. 

As the day goes by, work moves into the field, where the real challenges begin. Many of the schools and homes CLCL supports live in remote villages of Meru, or crowded informal settlements around Nairobi, where public transportation is scarce or nonexistent. During the rainy season, roads become muddy and impassable, while during the dry and sunny months, long distances, dust, and heat make travel physically demanding. In many cases, the only available option is traveling by motorcycle, often an unsafe mode of transport, carrying up to three passengers at a time without any safety gear. These journeys are never easy, but they are often the only way to reach our children who might otherwise remain unhelped. 

When CLCL-Kenya staff visit homes, their priority is building understanding and connection. They sit with caregivers, listen to concerns, and observe living conditions, transforming donor support into real, human care. These visits ensure that support provided is based on lived realities rather than assumptions. Later in the day, attention turns back to schools. Conversations with teachers provide insight into academic progress, behavior, and emotional well-being. Children who need additional mentorship, learning materials, or encouragement are identified and followed up on. Sometimes a short conversation is enough to restore confidence; other times, a lot of support over weeks or months is needed. All information gathered by the CLCL-Kenya staff is carefully documented to ensure no child is unnoticed. 

As evening approaches, updates are recorded, reports completed and shared with the CLCL-US respondent, and follow-ups planned. Though much of this work happens in silence, it underpins CLCL’s commitment to integrity and impact. A day at CLCL-Kenya is more than a checklist of tasks, but a series of choices to persevere despite difficult roads, unpredictable weather, and a lack of reliable means of transport. Because of your support, children remain in school, families feel supported, schools receive food support, young mothers receive menstrual cups, and our community grows stronger. Collectively, we are all transforming lives, one at a time!