The power of hope :
Annie Fortino leads with love
By Crystal Han
When faced with the magnitude of the world ’ s problems , it ’ s easy to think , “ what can one person possibly do to help ?” This is the question Annie Fortino asked herself when faced with the massive problems of Kibera , the biggest slum in Nairobi , Kenya . As it turns out , when you lead with love and hope , one person can do wonders .
E ver since Fortino was a child , she has loved Africa , both for its people and its wildlife . “ I don ’ t know what spurred that , other than I think God just planted it in my heart ,” she said . This love would point her toward her calling much later in life .
In 2017 , Fortino and her son , Niko , went to Kenya on a mission trip for the non-profit Empower A Child , where they helped school children from the Gifted Hands Educational Center in Kibera ’ s slums . While they were there , they met Martin Mwaniki , the director of Gifted Hands , and Martin Omach , a kid trying to get through college at the time . Fortino and her son felt a strong connection to both of the Martins and they were extremely moved by their experiences there .
Fortino came home from her mission trip determined to help in some way . At the time , the organization needed a van and a new wall around the school to protect it from theft . With the help of her pastor from the New Hope Community Church , Fortino flew Mwaniki to Gilroy in 2018 and they spoke to the congregation about the children and their needs . They raised $ 35,000 that day , which was enough not only for the van and the wall , but to rebuild the entire school and staff offices . Several Gilroy members also sponsored children to ensure that they could continue to attend the school , and Fortino personally helped Omach finish college to become a CPA .
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Once the school was rebuilt , Fortino and Niko returned to Kibera and visited all of the sponsored children and their families throughout the slums . They worked with the teachers and children at the school every day . Seeing how much of an impact they ’ d made inspired Fortino to start her own non-profit , Wonders of Hope , Inc ., so that she could make sure all of the funds they ’ d raised would go directly to the school and to the children . “ It ’ s never been a dream of mine to run a non-profit . That was not anything I ever planned to do or would have chosen to do on my own . But I just felt like it was something I was supposed to do ,” she said .
In September 2019 , Wonders of Hope was officially registered as a non-profit .
With the help of Mwaniki and Omach , Fortino has created programs that provide food for the children and their families , as well as school uniforms and supplies . Since many of the families can ’ t afford the school fees — which are about fifteen dollars a month — Fortino made sure those were paid for too . Wonders of Hope also sends the kids on adventure outings and educational trips , such as to museums , leadership camps , and animal orphanages , so that they can get a sense of what life is like outside the slums .
Seeing the positive changes in the children and the community continues to be a rewarding experience for Fortino . One boy , sponsored by Fortino ’ s son , came from an abusive
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