Valley Light Children’s Home
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Local Leaders
Partnering with local leaders opens the door to a deeper level of holistic care. Local leaders know their communities and can best serve their needs through appropriate cultural and relational interventions. Each of these leaders has been in the Just One Africa family for over a decade and is committed to seeing through the mission and vision of the organization. We know you will be inspired by their story just as we are.
Valley Light children’s home
Light Home is the dream realized and long-term commitment of John and Leah Njoroge, a couple, each born and raised in Kenya to see the very community they grew up in, changed for goxod. Valley Light Home (VLH) is a faith-based organization that provides residential care for orphans and abandoned children in a family setting.
VLH is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty that leaves children without proper care while meeting the emotional, medical, educational, and social needs of the whole child. The home was started in response to the overwhelming need to care for children within Maai Mahiu and surrounding areas.
The home opened its doors on July 31, 2011, when six orphaned children, the youngest one a child of 6 weeks were embraced by the Njoroges and a group of loving and dedicated staff. Currently, VLH houses 36 children.
John & Leah Njoroge
Valley Light founders
Valley Light Home is carefully constructed as a home rather than an institution for up to 36 children (infants to 18 years of age). John & Leah Njoroge founded Valley Light Home in 2011, and they are committed to doing whatever they can to rescue orphaned and abandoned children. From the beginning, they decided only to take in children with no known relatives to care for them.
The home is managed by local staff, including a full-time social worker. Family life includes providing professional care and guidance for physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs. As some of the children placed here are HIV+, caregivers are trained to administer medication, monitor nutrition, and care for individual health needs.
The town of Maai Mahiu lies at the bottom of the beautiful Rift Valley along a major route that connects the coast of Kenya (by the Indian Ocean) with many countries in Eastern and Central Africa. It is approximately an hour and a half northwest of Nairobi. Over time, Maai Mahiu has developed into a popular trading center that is a prominent stopping place for truckers and other weary travelers; the population continues to increase almost daily.
Unfortunately, one of the reasons for the town’s popularity with truckers is the high rate of prostitution. Prostitution, which continues to increase, is the most significant contributor to the high number of orphaned and abandoned children in the area. lt is one of the reasons why moving Valley Light from the center of Maai Mahiu to a much safer location was a crucial objective. They are determined to prevent these children from repeating the cycle of prostitution and poverty that made them orphans in the first place.
update 2023
Valley Light Home now has a US-based nonprofit to help with daily operational needs going forward. Valley Light Programs (US) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. All operational donations will be processed through them going forward. They are operating in partnership with John and Leah, and ALL funds through them will be used to fund the operational expenses of VLH. You can learn more about this organization by clicking the button below.
In the past, Just One Africa has provided emergency operational support while their US board was being set up. Just One Africa will continue our water filter distributions in partnership with Valley Light Home.
building project update 2023
The building is finished, and the children are thriving in their new home! We recently completed our most significant building project which is located a few miles outside of Maai Mahiu, Kenya. This purpose-built home will provide a much more peaceful environment, a space for learning, playing, and building brighter futures!
This new home will provide a safe place where children can grow and thrive.