ABOUT US

What do you do when you see a child, dressed in tattered clothes and walking seemingly aimlessly in the streets, hands stretched out and desperately crying out “nisaidie” (Swahili for ‘Help me’)? Do you stop and give them money? Or do you just walk by and pretend you didn't see them with the assumption “the money is probably for drugs anyway”. One too many times, we have been faced with such situations, whereby less privileged children, walk the streets, looking for money, begging for food, and we who are more privileged, simply walk away. How jaded have we become to turn a blind eye to the suffering and grief around us? Sometimes, there’ll be some of us that will kindly spare some change, or some food, and silently wish them ‘all the best’ in life.

Operation Saidia Watoto INC. (‘Saidia Watoto’ is Swahili for Help The Children) was established in July 2008 as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, charitable organization. We are currently located in Powder Springs, GA, U.S.A. Operation Saidia Watoto’s focus is to provide education, food, clothing, personal care items and medical supplies to orphans and other disadvantaged children in different parts of Kenya

FOUNDER

John Crispus Njuguna Ndungu is the founder of Operation Saidia Watoto. John Cris has spent a better part of his life with poor children that are faced with hopelessness, sorrow, food and energy insecurity and a lack of guardianship. He was born into poverty and his parents could not afford basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. But by the grace of God, and with the help of his parents’ friends and church members, John Cris is now in a position to help the poor. “My life has given me the inspiration not to look for a hero beyond myself but within myself with the aim of alleviating poverty”, says our Founder. He was also inspired by his parents who since he can remember, have always taken it upon themselves to take care of family members, friends and strangers in their home, and even put them through schooling. Hence, he began Operation Saidia Watoto. Much of the drive to form Operation Saidia Watoto is summarized in a quote by Garrison Keillor an American author, which says: “Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted”.