Our Story
Our Misson
In hopes of saving children from the childhood trauma she endured. Rosemary Odada created the Garden of Hope as a haven for all people
Meet our founder, Rosemary
Garden of hope was founded by Rosemary Odada. Starting in 2017, she fed and educated vulnerable children from her community right out of her home. Slowly, her efforts grew into what we know as Garden of Hope today, and the Garden of Hope has served thousands of children in Kisumu.
Rosemary’s Story
“My name is Rosemary Odada, and I am a single parent to my daughter, Abby. I worked as a secretary and personal assistant at Into Africa before founding Garden of Hope.
As a child, I faced several challenges. At the age of eight, I was taken away from my parents by my father’s extended cousin to babysit for five years. During this time, I experienced physical abuse and neglect, lacking care, love, and essential needs. Thankfully, my mother eventually rescued me. Despite these hardships, I have found the power to forgive.
These experiences motivated me to reach out to children in need. I am keen to identify children in crisis, even when they cannot speak out about their struggles. Establishing the Garden of Hope Ministry has been long and challenging. One pivotal moment occurred on December 24, 2008, when a malnourished woman and her three-year-old child, Shamim, came to my door asking for food. The woman was too weak to stand and shared her story with me after I provided her with food. Her mother had abandoned her at the age of three.
The next day, on Christmas morning, Shamim returned alone, asking for medicine money for her mother. I gave her food and money and accompanied her to her home, where we found her mother had passed away. This incident deeply touched me, and I began to help Shamim. She started coming to my house daily for food and playtime with my daughter, Abby. Shamim brought friends with her, and soon, I was feeding several children regularly.
I started Garden of Hope from my home, but as the number of children grew, I moved the feeding program to a small iron-sheet structure in front of my house. I sustained the program through small businesses, including selling second-hand clothes, tailoring, and running a hairdressing shop. As the program expanded, I sought assistance from local charity organizations in Kisumu. This is how I met two girls from Germany who were interning at New Life. They visited my feeding program, donated clothes, and provided funds for food. Their families later became key supporters of Garden of Hope, helping with feeding programs, schools, and nutrition.
Since then, God has used me to help those in dire need. I have encountered many sick and malnourished children and elderly individuals, and by God's grace, they have received help and are now healthy”
Our History
2008 First steps
One day Rosemary’s daughter, Abby brought home a friend from their neighborhood in Kisumu Kenya who was starving and needed nutriton. The next day Abby and her friend brought more kids who needed feeding
2010 Connections built
Being drawn by the Garden of Hope, Rosemary met two Interns visiting from the United States. Keeven Labwitz and Megan Chambers became big figures in the Garden of Hopes Misson by providing unwavering guidance and assitance.
2015 “Helen”
“With support from the Kenyan government and Keeven, Garden of Hope took on Helen as my first and most challenging case. At just 2 years old, she was part of a street family in Kisumu. When I met Helen and her sick, homeless mother one evening at 5pm, Helen was severely malnourished. Leaving my own daughter with friends, I rushed to borrow money and took Helen straight to the hospital. After her mother passed away, Helen found a new family and is now thriving in Grade 6.”
2017 Birth of Sewing Program
Through our partnership with Mr jackal who supplies our communal sewing machines and the facility we’ve been able to supply hundreds of our community members with life long skills and even their own sewing machine as a parting gift
2009 Walls were Built
After more kids, regularly visited Rosermarys house Rosemary decided to move the feeding program to a new building allowing a powerful environment for more mouths to be found and marking a pivotal point in our movement
2013 becoming offical
After careful analyzation from the Kenyan government and through the Keeven’s help, Garden of hope became an official non-profit organization
2015 More connections
In 2015 Rosermary met a different pair of interns, Sophia and Ronja who were vistiting from Germany. On their visit they discovered the true beauty of the garden of hope and due to their care and compassion they shared their interest with their families who we now partner with
