Christiane Amanpour, the highly respected CNN journalist, first visited Pepo La Tumaini in 2006 as part of her award winning documentary “Where have all the parents gone.” She is personally sponsoring one of the students she met through higher education and has helped raise significant donations as well as contributing from her own foundation. Christiane is an honorary member of the Swiss Charity board. In May 2013 she very generously opened her New York home to us all for a small event for our newly formed foundation in the US. Khadija Rama, the founder and program director of Tumaini in Kenya was the guest of honor and was accompanied by Executive Director Sarah Kantharia. The evening was a resounding success, giving Tumaini the opportunity to meet new friends and raising over $25.000. It meant so much to each and everyone one of us and we’ll never forget our first Tumaini event in the US.
Luis Mestre is a Managing Director at Banque Heritage in Geneva since eleven years and has been a funding supporter since initiation of the school. He has held a number of senior positions throughout his career in Private Banking namely, with Credit Suisse, Banque Sarasin, Morgan Grenfell and Coutts & Co. Luis has lived in Geneva, Miami, Munich and New York, he is married and has two children who are currently attending college.
Mama Esha or Hoyo as she is known at the programme is one of the longest living grandmothers who helped her daughter Khadija to start Pepo La Tumaini back in 1994. She is a pillar of strength in the community and a source of immense inspiration to those both young and old. With her old age comes great wisdom as well as a lot of sugar in her tea.
Burgs is one of Europe’s most experienced and accomplished meditation teachers. He ran his first retreat in 1996 and since then has hosted over 100 retreats from 5 days to 5 months and taught thousands of people from all walks of life, the ‘Art of Meditation’. His students have ranged from total beginners to distinguished monks and nuns, from the homeless of Asia to some of Europe’s most successful and influential business folk. Burgs has been a long standing supporter and friend of Pepo La Tumaini since 2010; inspired by the children and moved by the women’s dedication to the work of service. He is an incredible teacher in healing and provides great motivation to us all.
Boyd Hill, a London street based and community artist working mainly with graffiti and found objects sees himself as a teacher to the youth who has a responsibility to lead by example. A self taught artist he is able to relate to the hardships of vulnerable and at risk youth, working closely with them to provide alternative options that nurture creativity and the production of good quality work.
Boyd was an artist in residency at Pepo La Tumaini in 2014 and participated in the SBK Collaborative He made a huge impact while at Tumaini transforming the open spaces with his artwork and teaching the children how to value and beautify their environment by using art. His passion for the students at Tumaini Senior School has motivated him to continue promoting the program through his community work with youth in South London.
Pax Nindi is a master musician of African Roots Reggae and a renowned Global carnival expert. He is the Vice President of the World Carnival Commission (Canada) & CEO and founder of the Global Carnival Centre. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and an international carnival consultant.
He is a strong supporter and friend to the Tumaini kids and was so inspired and touched by the children’s musical talent and energetic performances that he requested our children to make the same set of Freedom Flag Costumes to be made for his band to wear on their brazilian tour in 2011. Since then he has visited the program and helped to facilitate the SBK Collaborative in 2014. We continue to partner together promoting our creative work with carnival and musical performances.A HUGE THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT
GIVEN BY THE FOLLOWING DONORS: