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Dolfine Gumba Dawa Oliech is the founder of Korando Faith Widows and Orphans Group in Kenya, East Africa. Mama Dolfine spent twenty years teaching primary school in rural Kenya. Gradually, her students began to drop out of school because their parent died of AIDS. Then tragedy struck home. First her youngest son died of an accident and the following year her eldest son died of AIDS. Her grief was profound. In Kenya a woman without sons is considered worthless and a curse. Out of her grief, she felt called to make her home a turning point for destitute widows and orphans. Recent count includes twenty-six orphans who live with her and her husband. A group of older widows gathers beneath the mango tree at Dolfine's compound to make pottery with which to support themselves. Younger widows are encouraged to return to school along with their children.

In Korando there is a saying, "Kidogo kidogo hujaza Kibaba!" which in Swahili means "Small-small fills the basket." Mama Dolfine teaches that if you have your health, you can do something. Lots of small-small jobs have kept her community afloat and increased their numbers as well. Korando Faith produces and sells: bricks, soap, pottery, baskets, jewelry and crafts. In order to keep everyone fed and raise needed money for school fees and uniforms, the community has various farm projects raising maize, rice, and vegetables. Their livestock includes chickens, goats and cows (both dairy and meat).





It takes more than physical survival to bring hope. Education is essential to the transformation of Korando. Mama & Papa Oliech built and operate the Madoma Free Primary School:


~ 170 children get a hot meal daily & attend school. ~

~30 pre-primary children get two meals a day and receive care while their orphan care-givers attend school. ~

~40 students attend high school because Korando Faith provides their uniforms and books.

~14 are first-year students and attend Madoma H.S. for free ~

~26 are second-to-fourth year students whose fees paid by Korando Faith to attend other schools while Madoma H.S. is being built. ~

~During school holidays, children participate in income-generating projects.~


These are some of the reasons for this website:

Aardvark Alley is one small way to generate income for Korando's fledgling export business. Korando Faith Women's Group sells their wares to Aardvark Alley. They receive fair wages for their work. Sustainable income-generation is important for their community. Ten percent of Aardvark Alley's profits are returned to craftspeople for development of new products.

I'm Grace Von Tobel. I dreamed of going to Africa when I was 13. I finally got there 48 years later. After my first visit in January 2006, I arranged for Dolfine Oliech to visit the USA (September 2006). She captivated audiences with her talks about life in rural Kenya and her work with AIDS widows and orphans. I returned to Kenya in 2007. When Kenya exploded in post-election violence in 2008, I canceled my third trip and began planning for Dolfine's second trip to America. She spent the month of April fund-raising in Maine, Massachusets, and New Hampshire.

In spite of all their hard work, sometimes weather will wipe out a crop of maize or rice. There is no margin for error. Crop failure means no food. They struggle to pay for school fees and books, yet also provide enough food for children.

If you would like to donate money for food, school fees/uniforms/books, agricultural supplies, etc. please contact Dolfine Gumba Dawa Oliech at: korandofaith@yahoo.com

For more information about Korando, write me at:
aardvark@aardvarkalley.net

View MORE pictures of Korando Faith Widows & Orphans

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