School of Hope Foundation seeks to provide a wholistic education that frees vulnerable youth of Kibera to realize their dreams and to live for others.
The Foundation was formed in 2017 to provide fundraising and operational support in the US for St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School for AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children in Nairobi, Kenya. The Foundation seeks to make donations impactful by providing funds for Jesuit college preparatory education and opportunities for college to young men and women while instilling in them the values of service to their community.
Fundraising responsibility for St. Aloysius Gonzaga in the USA transitioned from USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesuits to the School of Hope Foundation in July of 2017. School of Hope is grateful to the leadership of the Jesuits for its support since the inception of St. Aloysius, assisting in this transition and affirming that our partnership will continue in various ways. School of Hope Foundation is a registered 501c3 organization. Obtain a copy of our IRS letter here.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School exists to offer quality education in a caring environment to bright orphans and the needy youth of Kibera, through scholarships and enriched programs for character formation. St. Aloysius Gonzaga strives to be a center for excellence that provides holistic and transformative education rooted in Christian values. The school’s motto is “To Learn, To Love and To Serve” based on St. Ignatius Loyola’s saying “in all things, to love and serve.”
St. Aloysius was founded in 2004 by Fr. Terry Charlton, SJ and Christian Life Communities with 56 students in a rustic school building in the Kibera slum. Beginning in 2005, St. Aloysius accepted 70 Freshman each year, and by 2008 reached our current capacity of 280 students from Kibera on scholarship. In 2010, St. Aloysius opened a new school building with classrooms for up to 480 students with science and computer labs.
St. Aloysius now has 874 graduates, and is currently sponsoring 142 graduates to continue their studies in university, diploma or certificate programs. Over 700 St. Al’s grads have now completed their tertiary education.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is tasked with raising all of the funds for operational support for St. Al's as well as a capital campaign for the construction of residence halls for all of the students.
Rev. Terry Charlton, SJ, Co-Founder & Chaplain
Mark Maxwell
Martha Swanson, President
Marjory Blumenthal
Rev. Dan O'Hare, SJ
Claire Brichler, Vice President
Jenny Semaca
Jeff Smart, Secretary
Ken Kobe
Remembering Cedric Asiavugwa
School of Hope Foundation and St. Aloysius Gonzaga mourn the loss of Cedric Asiavugwa, our friend, Board Member, Social Media Director, and so much more. His dedication, passion, huge smile, and loving heart will be greatly missed.
Cedric was a third-year law student at Georgetown University. Before going to Georgetown in 2016, he served for a year as the Assistant Development Director for St. Aloysius. He died in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on his way home to be with his wife after the death of her mother. Please join us in praying for all of Cedric's family and friends, especially his wife Linet and their one-year-old son Jabali. To read more about Cedric’s life, click bio.
Associate Board of Directors
Khaliyah Legette (Chair)
Atlanta, Georgia
Stephen Fleischer (Vice Chair) Nairobi, Kenya
Myles Phillips
New York, NY
Maxwell Dopsch
Meridian, MS
Thomas Arning
New York, NY
David Kobe
New York, NY
Ellen Kobe Grace Smart New York, NY Chicago, IL
Caroline Kinney
Denver, CO
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