Kenyan Couple Turns Oklahoma Food Business Into Lifeline for Vulnerable Children

Dr Eunice Menja and her husband, Robert, have used a food business in Oklahoma in the United States to support vulnerable children in Kenya.

The couple, based in Edmond and Oklahoma City, began selling traditional Kenyan foods, including mandazi and chapati. They channelled the proceeds to Kenya, paying school fees and supporting festive celebrations for children they had helped and who had asked Eunice not to forget them after she moved to the US.

Their work has focused on children affected by poverty, absent parents and unstable family circumstances. US-based podcaster Jeremy Damaris has cited estimates that up to 70 percent of children grow up without knowing their paternal identity. Such circumstances, combined with financial hardship, can increase the risk of children leaving school or ending up on the streets.

During repeated visits to Kenya, Eunice and Robert saw that financial assistance alone could not address the challenges facing the children they supported. They concluded that the children also needed a safe and stable environment where they could receive care and rebuild their lives.

In January 2013, the couple established Upendo Children’s Home in Murang’a County. The project has since grown into a five-acre facility with residential accommodation, a wellness centre providing trauma-informed care and agricultural projects intended to promote self-sufficiency.

Upendo provides children with shelter, education support and psychological care. Some of those who have passed through the home are now pursuing higher education and preparing for independent adulthood.

The Menjas’ work has also provided a way for them to support children in Kenya through their business in the US. Their efforts have combined income from the sale of Kenyan food with long-term support for children who might otherwise have lacked access to education, stable accommodation and care.

Eunice has described the initiative as the result of a commitment to the children and sustained effort, rather than substantial financial resources. Their work through Upendo Children’s Home continues to connect their life in the United States with efforts to support vulnerable children in Kenya.