About Us
Empowering lives, transforming futures into Rusinga, Kenya
Join our cause and be part of the change.
At Nyaben Foundation, we believe in the power of education, support, and the community to change lives. We work to provide hope and opportunities for young mothers and pregnant adolescents in Rusinga, Kenya. Together, we can make a difference.”
Mission
Empower pregnant teenagers and young mothers in Rusinga, Kenya, providing them with support, education and resources to transform their lives and build a better future
Vision
A world where every young mother has access to opportunities, independence and a supportive community to reach their full potential.
Values
Empathy
Equal opportunities
Education as the basis of change
Sustainability
Community and solidarity
Our Team
Our team is made up of passionate people who work to improve the lives of young mothers in Rusinga.
Rachel Achieng Nandia
President and co-founder
“Living proof that resilience transforms destinations.”
Born in 1999 on Rusinga Island, Rachel knows first-hand the reality that the foundation seeks to change. He grew up in extreme poverty and, after his father’s death, faced isolation and the difficulty of staying in the education system
At 17, her life took a dramatic turn by becoming a teenager and facing the abandonment of her partner and the initial rejection of her environment. Far from giving up, he worked by making coal to support his son and return home.
That experience forged its purpose. She joined the DREAMS program as a mentor and did internships at Compassion International. In July 2025, he completed his professional studies in Social Work and Community Development. Today, she leads Nyaben Foundation not only as a licensed professional, but as a woman who transformed her own vulnerability into a force to empower other young mothers
Mario Schellenberg
Treasurer and co-founder
“Financial strength and humanitarian commitment.”
Mario provides the foundation with an international administrative and financial structure, vital to ensuring transparency and sustainability of funds. Born in Argentina and with an extensive experience in Switzerland, he is a specialist in administration and finance.
His career spans decades of management in large organizations, including his role at Aerolíneas Argentinas in Switzerland, where he was responsible for audits, budgets and documentation systems, and in Sulzer Hermanos managing exports. In addition, he has a deep vocation of service: he managed shelters for Swiss Civil Protection and coordinated training centers for the Spanish community abroad.
Mario balances his accounting rigor with an integral human vision, being also the founder of a Center for Research in Alternative Therapies, where he has taught disciplines focused on physical and emotional well-being.
Paul Onyango Nandia
Secretary
Bachelor of Communication Technology and Media with a specialization in IT
Graduated in Communication Technology and Media with a specialization in IT, he is a humanitarian professional and developer, with more than 11 years of experience.
Paul leads community programs in refugee and host communities in East Africa. It represents the foundation’s commitment to community transformation, inclusion, prevention of risk factors in adolescence and the strengthening of grassroots organizations, in line with their mission, and brings experience and passion for sustainable development.
He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance.
Lencer Awour Nandia
Vowel 1
Social worker and community facilitator.
Dedicated to welfare and social transformation. Lencer combines experience in the hospital sector with training in social work and a wide community development, providing a comprehensive and accurate vision for health, education and protection programs of vulnerable populations.
Its impact areas are strong: “Health and risk prevention”, “Protection of children and support for vulnerable populations”, “Education and community awareness” and “Mobilization of resources and strengthening of local capacities”.
His experiences at “Tom Mboya Level 4 Hospital”, “Sub-County Children’s Office” and “Community Programs in Homa Bay”, as well as in other establishments, feed and consolidate the principles of our foundation.
Grace Adoyo Onyango
Vowel 2
Exemplary mother and inseparable companion of Benard Nandia
Grace dedicated her life to her children being able to study and build a better future.
With sacrifice and tenacity, they faced difficulties together, always convinced that education was the right path. They knew clearly how to guide their family. His legacy of love and effort continues to illuminate the Foundation’s mission.
Colaboradores
Denys Schellenberg
International Strategy and Development
Nyaben Foundation strategic partner with more than 20 years of international leadership in technology and a deep educational vocation. His intercultural experience and social commitment strengthen the foundation’s mission, facilitating the transfer of knowledge for sustainable community development.
Nandia Aketch Beryl
Community Leadership and Empowerment
Sociologist dedicated to the empowerment of adolescents and communities in Kenya. With extensive experience in public health and financial education, Nandia brings passionate leadership to defend youth rights and build a future based on justice and hope.
Vaneza San Martín Medina
Visual Narrative
She is a designer of a clothing and photographer of African descent trained at the University of Buenos Aires and in Espacio Buenos Aires.
Through photography and design, he researches forms, colors and traditions linked to Afro-descendant cultures in Latin America.
His work seeks to build visual narratives that recover identities, memories and territories of the African diaspora, using the image as a tool of memory, representation and cultural connection.
Jesús Trujillo
Technology Leadership and Digital Strategy
Specialist in technology and web development with more than 20 years of experience in the sector. With a strong training in systems engineering, Jesus leads the digital infrastructure of the Nyaben Foundation through its agency Sateda Estudio Digital. Their approach combines technical innovation with a human vision, ensuring that our empowerment mission has a global, efficient and professional reach.
Daniela Fuentes
Clinical Psychology and Integral Well-Being
Clinical psychologist with an integrative and deep vision, specialized in psychocorporeal psychotherapy and art therapy. Its arrival at the foundation strengthens our capacity to offer comprehensive and culturally sensitive psychological support, essential for the contexts of social vulnerability in which we operate.
Help other people
You can be part of the change, too.
Here are ways to contribute to our mission:
1
Volunteering
Join our team and bring your talent.
2
Donations
Your financial support makes our work possible.
3
Spreads our cause
Share our mission on social media.
Contact US
Take a step to serve humanity and help
Talk to us through the various means
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