Education should be a universal human right; however, for millions of people across the globe, it is just a distant dream. Due to circumstances like expense, conflict, and environmental issues, families are forced to make difficult decisions that prevent regular access to good education. As the world has become more connected, thankfully, non-profit organizations have sprung up to support communities in need around the world.

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Canopy Life; a non-profit based in Atlanta, Georgia with a school program in Kenya. The organization was created in 2003 after founder, Christi Baker, spent six months living in slums in Kenya. Her time there was formative and she absolutely fell in love with the people, but recognized the challenges that they were facing in their daily lives.

With this in mind, she determined to open a residential school that works hand in hand with local leaders to provide access to innovation that can lift people out of poverty. Years later, Canopy Life is a thriving residential school program where students are able to safely learn and grow.

There are currently 50 students participating in 4 cohorts which are lead by local teachers, mentors, pastors, and administrators. A big focus of the learning at Canopy Life is centered around the tenants of heart, home, mindset, and skills in order to best equip students to develop problem-solving skills that can extend beyond themselves so that they can better their communities. The aim is to support the whole child and empower each and every student to find creative ways to make their dreams come true.

One of the things that we appreciate about this particular non-profit is that it is incredibly transparent. Their financials are open and they even sponsor multiple trips per year to visit the school and give donors and potential donors a look at everything that the program stands for. They even have a podcast (you can also find it on Apple Podcasts) and a blog that share school updates on a regular basis. The Canopy Life Instagram page is plentiful with photos and videos that showcase student daily life and brings quite a bit of joy. If you’d like, you can easily sponsor a student or make a donation to the foundation and become a part of this nurturing community.

Be the change for a child in rural Kenya and check out all of the good that Canopy Life is doing!