Antony is a passionate leader and Ten Thousand Homes partner who works in Kenya. We love this incredible story of life-changing impact that took place through the weekly feeding program he and his team run.

Joseph* started coming to their Saturday feeding program for the same reason most of the youth do – a plate of food. As the months progressed he began to get more involved, no longer coming for just a meal, but joining the other youth who volunteered to prepare and serve food at the program.

Although adult leaders are present to provide guidance and mentorship, Antony shared that the young people are a very important part of their program because they help to create a fun and engaging environment. It was in this space that Joseph began to develop friendships with people who genuinely cared about him. Here, he was safe to share his story.

Joseph was a young man in a vulnerable situation. After a conflict with his mother, he left home and walked 112 kilometers (that’s 69.5 miles) to look for other relatives. He ended up with a cousin who agreed to give him a space to sleep, but not much more. So he spent his days going from one friend’s house to another, hoping to get an evening meal with them. He had also been out of school for nearly four months. 

But when Joseph shared his story, things began to change. Antony’s team reached out to his mother, and were able to facilitate reconciliation between them. They then helped him to get transport to move back home. Now Joseph is living with his mother and is back in school. What started as a meal led to the reunification of a young man and his family and an opportunity to continue in his education, empowering him to take hold of a brighter future. 

Antony shared that he believes no one should have to tell the same story twice. This is powerful, and it captures the heart of why we do what we do. We don’t want youth like Joseph to be stuck in a destructive cycle, having to relive and tell the same story again. It’s our mission to see the transformation of lives and families and communities. Shelter and nutrition are the opportunities at hand, so this is where we start.

Together, we’ll continue to see transformation taking place all across the globe, one life at a time.

*although the facts and story remain the same, this name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual.