It begins with hope
Cheche Za Nuru was shaped around the belief that every child deserves the chance to learn, grow, and imagine a better future regardless of circumstance.
About Us
A journey of hope, support, and possibility.
Cheche Za Nuru Foundation works to inspire hope and transform lives by expanding access to education, healthcare, and sports development for children and young people.
Our Story
Cheche Za Nuru exists to walk with children on the journey toward a better future.
It grows through support
The foundation's work brings together education, healthcare, and sports because a child's journey is never one-dimensional. Real support must meet learning, wellbeing, and development together.
It leads toward opportunity
By investing in scholarships, outreach, and youth development, the foundation aims to help children move from vulnerability toward confidence, leadership, and possibility.
Who We Are
Our work is grounded in dignity, access, and long-term growth.
Grounded in one promise
Cheche Za Nuru Foundation is centered on one integrated idea: children thrive when education, health, and sport are strengthened together rather than treated as separate needs.
Built around dignity
The foundation is rooted in a mission of access, dignity, and long-term opportunity for underserved children and young people, with support shaped around what helps them stay present, well, and encouraged.
Focused on everyday progress
That work includes helping children remain in school, widening access to healthcare, and creating structured spaces where confidence, discipline, and teamwork can grow over time.
Aimed at lasting possibility
By investing in children in the classroom, in their health, and in their development, Cheche Za Nuru seeks to help communities raise a generation ready to learn, lead, and thrive.
Mission and Vision
Our mission guides the work we do every day.
Mission
What we are called to do
To inspire hope and transform lives by promoting education, health and sports development, while nurturing lifelong learning, leadership and community empowerment.
Vision
The future we are working toward
A world where every child has access to premium education, quality healthcare, and opportunities through sports to reach their full potential.
Our Values
Our work is shaped by the values we carry into every community.
Hope
We carry the belief that every child deserves a future worth working toward, and that consistent, close support can genuinely shift the direction of a life.
Empowerment
We invest in children and communities with the expectation that they will grow into agents of their own futures, not just recipients of help.
Leadership
We build the confidence and character of young people so they can step forward as examples, decision-makers, and voices in their own communities.
Community
Our work belongs to the communities it serves. We listen, respond, and stay present because real change is built from within, not from the outside in.
Excellence
Whether in a classroom, on a field, or at a health outreach, we hold the standard of quality that every child deserves, regardless of what they can access.
How We Work
We bring education, healthcare, and sports together because children need whole support.
Integrated support
Cheche Za Nuru brings education, healthcare, and sports together so children receive support that reflects real life rather than isolated interventions.
Community-rooted delivery
The foundation works through outreach, local participation, and close engagement with underserved communities so support remains grounded and relevant.
Long-term development
The goal is not only immediate assistance, but steady progress into learning, wellness, discipline, confidence, and leadership over time.
Our Team
The people leading this work.
Rene Roby
Executive Director
Rene Roby is a passionate advocate for children and families living on the margins. For the past seven years, she has called Kenya home, at least in heart, working alongside at-risk kids and families in Kibera and the surrounding communities through a ministry rooted in faith and fueled by love. What began as a calling from the United States has grown into something deeply personal. In 2024, she took that commitment a step further by founding Cheche za Nuru Foundation, an affiliate of her foundation in the US Spark of Opportunity, a testament to the belief that every child, no matter their circumstances, carries within them the potential to shine. Her work is not just about programs or projects; it's about people. It's about showing up, day after day, for the families who need it most.
Itzack Adkiny
Deputy Director
Itzack Adkiny is a Nairobi-based animal behaviorist and social development professional with a passion for building communities, both animal and human. In 2018, he founded Fluff Express, a professional pet handling company grounded in behaviorist principles, offering expert, compassionate care for animals across Kenya. Driven by a commitment to social change, he expanded his work to at-risk youth and vulnerable families as Deputy Director of Cheche Za Nuru Foundation. Among his defining contributions is the establishment of the foundation's sports department, creating structured pathways for young people to develop discipline, teamwork, and resilience through sport.
Kaleab Zewdu
Operations Manager
Kaleab Zewdu is the Operations Manager at Cheche za Nuru Foundation, where he oversees operations and supports IT systems to strengthen organisational efficiency and impact. He is committed to humanitarian service and sustainable development, focusing on empowering vulnerable children and families through education, livelihoods, healthcare, and psychosocial support. He also holds a Certificate of Participation in the RE:BUiLD Microenterprise Program (2024–2025) by the International Rescue Committee, reflecting his engagement in refugee and urban livelihood development.
Eddie Ochieng'
Software Engineer
Machine Learning Engineer bridging the gap between raw data and actionable AI models. Skilled in Python, TensorFlow, and data pipelines. Passionate about solving real-world problems through intelligent, data-driven solutions.
Support the Mission
Be part of the change you just read about.
The work described here depends on people who believe in it. A contribution of any size helps us keep showing up for children and communities.