Our story starts with
founder Stanley Mutunga
In the early 2000s, Stanley lost several members of his extended family in Kenya to aids. This family tragedy opened his eyes to the struggles of AIDS orphans. Children as young as eight helped care for their dying parents and younger siblings. Grandparents were being forced to become parents again to take care of their grandchildren. There was no denying that this disease would change their village forever.
He and his wife, Rose, felt the Lord calling them to respond in a tangible way. They founded Tumaini International as a conduit to garner support from friends and churches in the U.S and Kenya to assist these children.
Years laters, their original vision, which started with a sustainable child sponsorship program, has since branched across eleven of Kenya’s counties into other areas of humanitarian aid, including Tumaini Mission Hospital and mobile outreach units, an elite boarding school for high school girls, and sixteen community-based organizations providing hard-working adults with the tools they need to thrive.
Today, Tumaini International is run by Kenyans, for Kenyans.
Vision
Tumaini International exists to provide hope to AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children, their families and communities in Kenya, Africa.
mission
Tumaini International, a Christian organization is passionate about making a difference by providing hope to AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children, families and communities in three integrated pillars: education, healthcare and socio-economic development.
core values
We are Christians. We are committed to the poor. We are stewards.
Why Tumaini?
Tumaini is Accessible
We are proud to be a grassroots organization which allows everyone to be a part of the team. More importantly, we are accessible to our donors and sponsors, as well as guardians of the children that we sponsor. We have proven to be an effective organization that does not sacrifice its organic nature.
Tumaini is Child-Focused
Our outreach is a partnership based endeavor that includes sponsors, guardians, and the broader community. We believe that our role is to come alongside the vulnerable children’s guardians and their community for maximum wellness and holistic development. We focus on providing help with the "big ticket" items like school fees, tuition, medical bills, and food. By doing so, all recipients maintain dignity while preventing over-dependency on an outside agency.
Tumaini is Committed
to Keeping Families Whole
We do not run orphanages or a foster care program. Instead, we encourage surviving extended family members to care for their orphaned relatives in their homes and provide assistance in that setting. This approach helps to make the transition from sponsorship to adulthood as seamless as possible.
Tumaini is Holistic
We focus on both the physical and spiritual needs of the children. We strive in balancing the child's spiritual needs along with their material needs seeing that both are crucial for wholeness and wellness. This individual, holistic care then extends to the family, friends, and broader community.
U.S. Board of Directors
Dr. Stanley Mutunga / President & CEO
Stanley M. Mutunga, PhD, and his wife Rose co-founded Tumaini International initially to serve the needs of AIDS orphans in Kenya.
Among other experiences, Stanley has served in the Marketing Department with World Vision U.S.; obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees in various fields, including theology, Intercultural Studies & International Development.
Stanley has taught at the university level in Africa, the USA, and Europe. He has also served as a church planter and minister in Kenya (both rural and in the urban city of Nairobi); and served as professor and Dean of Graduate schools, both in the USA and Kenya. Stanley is also an avid mountain climber having summited Kilimanjaro three times.
Chris Buege / Board Chairperson
Chris Buege was first introduced to Tumaini International at Diamond Canyon Christian Church in Diamond Bar, CA, where she sponsored her first Tumaini child. Ten years later, she made a Vision Trip to meet all her sponsored children. After seeing them, meeting several community based organizations, touring Tumaini Girls’ High School and visiting the medical clinic, Chris felt the calling to serve the organization in a greater way.
Chris is a licensed CPA who spent her career in finance and accounting. Chris lives in Lake Forest, CA, with her husband, Byron. Together, Chris and Byron are proud blended family parents of six adult children. Chris is honored to serve on the Board of Directors and wants to use her gifts and resources to help make a difference in the lives of at-risk children and their communities in Kenya.
Dr. Joe Cabaret / Vice Chairperson
Dr. Cabaret has served on the Tumaini International Board of Directors since 2016. He and his wife, Dai, first discovered Tumaini International while climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in 2015 to raise funds for another ministry in Tanzania. A couple of years later, they made a Vision Trip to Kenya and what they saw there was life-changing: responsible stewardship of gifts where they are needed most.
They now sponsor several families and are regular contributors to the organization. Dr. Cabaret is a native Californian who now lives and practices in Camarillo, CA, where he is founder and CEO of Interventional Pain Practice. He especially enjoys helping patients take charge of their pain, recover from addiction and other coexisting disorders, and lead full and rewarding lives.
Jack Mutuku / Secretary
Jack Mutuku is the youngest son of Tumaini International Co-Founders Stanley Mutunga and his wife Rose. Jack is passionate about the work of Tumaini and has participated in the organization through child sponsorship and fundraising efforts since its inception in 2001. Jack works for PepsiCo as the Commercial Strategy Director for the western region. Jack lives in Corona, CA, with his wife, Chloe, and his son, Elijah.
AMY JOHN / TReasurer
Amy John sponsored her first child in 2013 and was amazed at how much Tumaini could accomplish with her small gift. In her words, “As I learn more about what Tumaini does I continue to be amazed and believe in what they’re doing through education, healthcare, and community-based work; it truly is the hands and feet of Jesus. I first visited Kenya and my sponsored children in the summer of 2017, attended a medical outreach, toured the developing girls’ high school and early construction of the guesthouse, and visited some local gardens and chicken houses. I would encourage everyone who can to make the trip; it will change you.” Amy was born in Southern California and still visits family often. She currently lives in Oregon where she grew up and attended college. During the day she’s a CPA specializing in governmental accounting and auditing. While not working Amy enjoys being outside, cooking, reading, and spending time with my husband, loved-ones, and pups.
Rick lin / member
Rick and his wife, Peggy, live in Jurupa Valley with their son (19) and daughter (15). For over 20 years, Rick has worked for AT&T, where he gets to play with gadgets and make the digital world a better place to live. He and his family enjoy days at the beach and worshipping with their church family at Valley Christian Church in Chino, which they’ve been attending since 2011.
Soon after attending Valley, they learned about Tumaini and began sponsoring their first child that same year. Two years later, in 2013, Rick went on his first Vision trip to Kenya. What he loves most about Tumaini is the focus on holistic and sustainable care for individuals and entire communities.
We are proud to be reviewed and held accountable by these independent third-party organizations:
