About Hands of Love
A small school with a big idea: that every child in Kariobangi deserves to be seen, fed and taught.
Our story
Hands of Love began in 2008 with fifteen children, two teachers, and a borrowed room. Founder Terry Little, a long-time Kenyan resident, started the school after watching working mothers in Kariobangi face an impossible daily choice — leave their toddlers alone for the whole day, or pay for an overcrowded, unlicensed daycare where no one was really teaching anything.
He decided there had to be a third option.
Eighteen years later, that small daycare has grown into a fully registered primary school serving more than 130 children, from pre-primary through Grade 1. We’ve added classes as our first students grew, kept the doors open through floods, fuel crises and a pandemic, and stayed rooted in the same community we started in.
Where we are now
Today, Hands of Love is a school, a kitchen, and a meeting place for parents. We serve breakfast and lunch six days a week. We organise health screenings, dental visits and eye clinics. We pay our teachers a fair wage. And we keep tuition free for the families who can’t afford it — which is almost all of them.
The school is registered in Kenya as a community school (DGSD/KAS/5/4/2010/29), supported in the United States by Hands of Love Development Center Inc., a 501(c)(3) registered in Indiana (EIN 47-3727631), and in Italy by Direttamente Onlus.
Our mission, vision and values
Mission
To give the children of Kariobangi a safe, nurturing place to learn — and the food, healthcare and family support they need to make that learning possible.
Vision
A generation of Kariobangi children who grow up healthy, educated, loved — and ready to lift their community with them.
Values
- The whole child. We teach minds, but we also feed bodies, treat illnesses, and look after hearts.
- Dignity first. Poverty is a circumstance, not an identity. We work with families, not on them.
- Steady, not flashy. Six days a week, year after year. The big change comes from showing up.
- Transparency. Donors give us their trust. We honour it with clear reports and honest accounts.
Meet the team
Terry Little — Founder & Board Chairman
Terry founded Hands of Love in 2008 and continues to advise the school. He has lived and worked in Kenya for decades and remains a guiding presence behind the school’s mission.
Sami Maina — Director
Sami leads day-to-day operations at Hands of Love, from staffing and curriculum to fundraising and family outreach. He works closely with teachers, parents and partners to keep the school steady, well-run and rooted in the community it serves.
Accountability
Every dollar we receive is accounted for. We publish an annual Director’s Report each January, and we’re happy to share financials with serious donors on request.
Read our 2025 Annual Report • Request financials