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Greetings!
We’re excited to share highlights from our recent journey to Kenya—a truly unforgettable experience for our group of ten travelers, six of whom were visiting Kenya for the very first time. For our sponsors, the trip offered a rare and emotional opportunity to meet their sponsored children in person, creating memories that will last a lifetime. All participants spent meaningful time with our sponsored kids at Sponsored Kids’ Day. MANY thanks to those of you who contributed to make this day so special! We also connected with students at the schools where our feeding programs are making a difference. We even got to serve the children lunches and play games with them!
Other memorable moments included joining a Ruby Cup training session, enjoying a special dinner with some of CLCL’s accomplished graduates, and spending time with our incredibly dedicated Kenyan team.
We also have a short video for you with some of our favorite memories. This video was created just for you, by Kelvin Thuranira, the son of our CLCL-Kenya president, Jeniffer Murithi. This is just the first video Kelvin will produce for us. We know you will enjoy his work!
Also in this edition, you’ll hear from several team members and see some special images from our adventure. And if you’re inspired to get involved, don’t miss the story of Phineous—your chance to Change a Life by becoming a sponsor!
Jennifer Wynne
President and Founder
| | Reflections & Images from Kenya 2026 Trip | | |
Christine F.
Being able to collaborate and engage with so many people who believe deeply in the CLCL mission was amazing! Though there are so many things I value and gained from this experience, I believe the most impactful was the connection with others. Across culture, age, race, socioeconomic status, lived experiences; there were so many ways in which we could connect, especially a shared belief in humanity. I'm so very grateful for this opportunity and hope I'm able to continue to be involved with such a dedicated organization.
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Katie K.
More than anything else, I think, the overwhelming sense of kindness and welcoming from all the students and staff at each school towards our group. Those who have so little gave so much with their songs, music, dance, smiles, food, and warmth.
I realized how much change I can make in someone's life by sponsoring a child. My financial support goes far in making the difference in a child's ability to learn and grow and feel hope for the future.
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Cathie L.
A highlight for me was meeting Veronica, whom I have sponsored for six years. She’s now a qualified engineer with an internship, and I am so pleased to see what a lovely and successful young woman she has become.
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Nancy B.
My husband and I have sponsored a child for 10 years, yet this was our first time to visit Kenya. It was life-changing - seeing the need, feeling the thankfulness & interacting with current students as well as CLCL graduates, makes you realize what CLCL is about and what they are accomplishing. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it all.
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Steve B.
I have been on the CLCL board for 10 years and have not had the opportunity to visit our kids in Kenya until this year. It was life-changing for me and my heart. We got to play with all the kids at the 4 schools where we sponsor children and actually fed them lunch with the food we provide at each school, which may be the only meal they get that day. What we all do through sponsoring a child, giving money to our feeding program, rebuilding a girl’s shower that washed away in one of their rainy season floods, building a library, truly changes each one of these kids' lives on a daily basis to an extent you will never know until you go and see it. Well done CLCL.
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Jan G.
What can I say about Kenya and CLCL? I have been to Kenya four times now with CLCL and love it more each time! I have had the privilege of seeing, talking to, and bonding with the two young men I sponsor on my trips. They are growing and maturing into amazing leaders in their schools. I am blessed to see how God is working with the gifts CLCL gives to the various schools, and the sponsored children!
Never forget that you can make a BIG difference in a child’s life!
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Pam L.
Inspiring!! The first word that comes to mind when describing the trip to Kenya with CLCL. It was absolutely amazing to see the impact CLCL is having on the schools receiving food and supplies. Seeing the students' happy, cheerful faces made me feel so fortunate to be part of the organization.
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Please enjoy this short video of the 2026 Kenya trip prepared by Kelvin Thuranira from some of the many videos and photos taken on the visit with the CLCL children and staff.
Click button below for link to the video:
| | Sponsor a child - Phineous | | |
Prepared by: Wyclif Gitonga
Phineous, a 17 year old boy, is the youngest in a family of seven sibling and is currently in 10th grade, though he should be in 12th grade at his age. His education was delayed by family conflict and poverty, causing him to fall behind his peers. Throughout much of his childhood to date, he endured emotional distress resulting from ongoing conflict between his parents.
When Phineous first enrolled in school, he studied for three years. Sadly, due to ongoing family conflict, he moved with his mother to a location far from their home and remained out of school for more than a year. As his mother struggled to settle into the new environment and find stable employment, she was unable to afford his education. Eventually, he enrolled in a school near the small house his mother had rented. However, because he had missed so much schooling, his teachers advised that he start over. Despite this setback, Phineous excelled academically and quickly became one of the top-performing students in his class.
Although his mother separated from her abusive husband, she faced new challenges as she struggled to pay rent, provide food, and meet her children's educational needs. There were nights when the family went to bed hungry, and Phineous frequently missed school because his fees had not been paid. Everything changed when he was in Grade 4, when CLCL identified him for sponsorship. Through this support, he received access to quality education, school uniforms, learning materials, food, and other essential needs, restoring hope and stability to his life.
Unfortunately, Phineous lost his sponsor last year, just before joining high school. The bond he had built through exchanged letters was suddenly cut short. Today, Phineous dreams of becoming a medical doctor to uplift his family, secure a better future, and serve his community. Without sponsorship, however, his dream is at risk, as his parents cannot meet his educational and basic needs. By sponsoring Phineous today, you would not only cover his school fees but also give him a sense of belonging, encouragement, and the love that inspires him to keep striving toward his goals.
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There are many ways to make a donation to Changing Lenses, Changing Lives (CLCL). Use the Donate page on our website, where you can direct where you would like your donation to go and select a payment method.
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Paypal/Credit card - redirected to PayPal site where you can pay with your PayPal account OR directly use a credit card of your choice.
Or, make a direct donation via check, Zelle, or a bank draft through your banking institution. The advantage of these methods are no credit card fees charged.
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Check - send by mail to: Changing Lenses, Changing Lives, P.O. Box 23181, Santa Fe, NM 87502
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Zelle – set up Info@changinglenseschaninglives.org as a Zelle trusted recipient and make a donation.
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Bank drafts – use your bank’s bill pay function to make a donation.
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