A Beacon of Hope in Dandora:
The Story of Friends of Hope
Community-Based Organization

In the heart of Nairobi’s Dandora, in a neighborhood known as Ex-Moroto, where the rhythm of life is dictated by resilience and struggle, two women dared to dream. Martha and Anna, both daughters of the community, understood hardship intimately. They had grown up navigating the same dusty streets, their childhoods marked by poverty, uncertainty, and the daily struggle to survive. They knew what it meant to go to bed hungry, to lack school fees, and to feel the weight of a future that seemed predetermined by circumstance.

Despite their struggles, both women found solace in their passions—Martha in music and dance, and Anna in arts and entrepreneurship. These skills became their escape, their form of resistance against the harsh realities of their world. They vowed that if they ever got the chance, they would create a sanctuary for the vulnerable children of their community, a place where talent could flourish despite adversity. That promise took root in 2010 when Friends of Hope Community-Based Organization was born.