Kelvin Mbure was born, raised and still lives in the Kibera slum southwest of Nairobi, Kenya.  Through strong parenting from his mother and under the watchful eye of his family, he was able to stay clear of the many dangers in and around his home.  After completing his secondary education, Kelvin - known as Kevoh to close family and friends - had no way to fulfill his dreams of going to a university.  Unable to secure steady employment, Kevo decided to volunteer his time at Jamii Children’s Centre in Kibera. He provided guidance to some of the older children - watching out for them in the same way that he had been watched over when he was younger.  It was through these efforts that we came in contact with Kevoh.  While his dreams of college had been stifled, he did not let that disappointment grow into bitterness or discontentment, and instead he used his time to serve others.  He became a positive role model to the young children at Jamii.

After months of knowing Kevo, he took the Elevate Challenge by founding the Avayani Youth Group.  Located in the heart of Kibera, Kevoh’s vision for Avayani is that it will become a safe haven for many young people, encourage participation in community development and create job opportunities for its members.  Focusing on high-school age and older youths, Avayani has started Kibera’s first street hockey league, sponsored a community car wash and trash clean-up events.

Based on this demonstrated service to others and his exemplary secondary school performance, we were thankful for the opportunity to grant Kevoh a full scholarship (tuition, room and board) to The East African School of Aviation.  He is now enrolled in his freshman year with a General Sciences major, concentrating on flight management.

We look forward to that day in the not too distant future where our flight into Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport will be directed from the tower by Kelvin Mbure.  Send Kelvin a word of encouragement by clicking here.

One person - serving others and making a difference.  That’s the Elevate Challenge at work.

Need help plugging in?  Check DirectConnect and find a program in your area.