Ohana Education Centre
Formally ‘iU Academy’
Our mission:
to provide students with a path, a purpose & hope.
At Ohana Education Centre, we provide:
→ Access to education — serving where school attendance is scarce
→ Guidance and daily encouragement from intentional, certified teachers
→ Support from trusted community members employed as teachers and staff
→ Daily nutrition: 2 meals per day that students may not have access to at home
→ A safe haven for students to learn, explore & realize their unique potential
→ Peace of mind for working parents
Poverty is not just a lack of resources,
it’s a lack of hope.
Impoverished communities often experience poverty of self-esteem, opportunity, & most importantly — hope.
How do we break this cycle?
At Ohana Education Centre, we’re working to make a lasting impact by showing students they have agency over their future.
Our mission of providing a path involves inspiring individual potential. And what better place to develop character, understand the importance of community, encourage self-starting, & explore new ideas than a classroom?
We belive in every child’s ability to succeed.
We are raising a hopeful generation!
Encouraging each child’s potential & providing opportunities to succeed in the classroom and beyond
Through parent involvement, we are inviting parents to take part in providing their children with a purpose & path for their lives.
Join us as we empower students with a fresh perspective!
Through service trips, international exchanges, and regular letter writing with sponsors, we provide a bridge for teachers, craftsmen, coaches, and community members to further inspire our students!
Humble Beginnings
In 2019, our dear friend, Nelly, and iU President, Jim Powell, began pursuing their shared dream of an after-school tutoring and mentorship program to serve the families of the impoverished Soweto slums near Nairobi, Kenya.
Jim and a small team of volunteers from Inter-United traveled to Kenya to begin laying the groundwork.
Joined by local teachers who have worked within the community and know the students, families, and challenges the area faces, iU Academy officially opened its doors in January of 2020.
Soon after opening our doors, we faced a global pandemic. Work was scarce as businesses were forced to close. iU Academy became a trusted resource for the community. Families were provided essential resources so they would not go hungry & our ties to the community deepened.
Our programs grew. Parents caught on to the vision as they saw their students grow excited & engage with the curriculum. And the neighborhood took notice.
Responding to the excitement in the community surrounding this program, Nelly began pursuing accreditation as an official primary school.
In 2021, we expanded into a larger facility — renaming the school and expanding our offering as a primary school under the name: Ohana Education Centre.
