News – find out what we’ve been up to
Cycling in the slums – a force for good
Imagine being a young person living in the slums of Nairobi … “My house is a rental room of 5 metres by 5 metres. The walls are mud, the floor mud and four iron sheets on top for a roof. The house has one door and one window. The house has no running water, no...
My community – a child’s story
With schools closed in Kenya, children have faced many months at home. We asked them to share insights into their life and community. I’ve been digging my family vegetable plot. Coming from a community where development is still lagging behind, I find great joy in...
What school closures mean for our scholarships
When the first reported case of COVID-19 in Kenya occurred on 13th March 2020, the government acted quickly to impose restrictions on movement with a night-time curfew and a ban on travel in or out of Nairobi and Mombasa. They immediately closed schools which meant...
Arnold’s Story
Arnold wants to be an architect. He is a lovely boy; very bright, with plenty to say for himself. Arnold comes from a single parent family and would have finished his education at primary school if we hadn’t been able to find him a sponsor. He writes, “thank you...
Living under COVID restrictions – our students’ stories
The letters we receive from children we are sponsoring through school give us an insight into their life under lockdown in some of the poorest communities in Kenya. When the first case of the Coronavirus was detected in Kenya on 13th March 2020, the government...
Getrude – My Story
Hi! My name is Getrude Shitandi Okech, a simple lady aged 23 years old and here is my story. I hope I will encourage someone. I was raised in a very humble background whereby I couldn't afford all the basic needs. At the start of my education journey, I experienced...
Responding to COVID-19 – Prioritising our support
As the COVID-19 virus impacts on life around the world, our work in Kenya is needed perhaps more than ever. Our first thought is for our 105 sponsored students who are now studying at home due to the closure of their secondary schools. It is uncertain how long this...
Kibera Community Emergency Response
When we provide young Kenyans with scholarships so they can complete their secondary schooling, we tell them that they don’t owe anything to their sponsor or to the Red Rubber Ball Foundation. We just ask them to ‘Pay it Forward’ – that means doing something for...
Review of 2019
The year saw us go through a full cycle in many different ways. School sponsorships Several of the very first students that we sponsored back in 2011, who completed their four years at secondary school, have now completed a further four years at university. So the...