Welcome To WENDO: A Movement (Re)Born from Love, Connection and Conviction
Every organisation reaches a moment when it pauses, reflects on how far it has come, and takes its next bold step forward. Today is that moment for WENDO.
What often begins as a quiet act of love can sometimes grow into something far greater than imagined. WENDO is one such story.
This a story of friendship across continents, of women who refused to look away and of a conviction so deeply rooted that simple acts of generosity grew into a movement now changing the lives of women and girls across Kenya.
Today, we are thrilled to announce the next chapter of our organisation: the relaunch of our website, a revised logo and the rejuvenation of WENDO as a whole, WENDO v2.0 if you will!
As we launch our new digital footprint, this blog is a celebration of where we’ve been, a bold statement of where we’re going and an invitation for you to join us on the journey.
More Than a Name
Every organisation has a name, but not every organisation carries its soul within it. WENDO does.
At first glance, WENDO is a simple abbreviation, a name that stands for Women Empowerment Networking and Development Organisation, but beneath the acronym lies a deeper, more profound meaning. In Kamba, wendo means love. In Luo, it means visitor. These two meanings are the very foundation of everything we do.
As visitors, we enter communities with humility, listening deeply, honouring lived experiences, and walking alongside mothers, daughters and grandmothers to co-create solutions rooted in dignity. As an act of love, our work is never transactional. It is human, consistent and present, not once, but again and again.
The Origin of Quiet Heroism
Before WENDO had a name (or a website), it had a heartbeat, well three in fact. Those heartbeats belonged to three remarkable Kenyan women living in the United Kingdom; Virginia Saoke, Lavender Mwamba and Lilian Ochieng (you can learn more about them here)
Virginia built her life around social work, a calling grounded in compassion and advocacy, but even as she established herself abroad, her heart never left her Kenyan home.
As early as 2021, Virginia was paying school fees for girls in Kenya, quietly and consistently, out of her own pocket. There was no websites or acronyms back then, but there definately was 'wendo' to those less fortunate. Virginia was not alone. Unbeknownst to her, Lavender and Lilian were also doing the same, each responding to the needs of girls back home with compassion and quiet sacrifice.
Bound by shared roots and shared concern, they each were trying to bridge a widening gap between opportunity and need in those communities. However, something didn’t feel complete.
Yes, money helped. It kept girls in school. It eased immediate burdens, but it did not last.
These incredible women eventually connected and collectively realised that the moment support paused, the struggle returned. It was time to break that cycle. The question soon shifted from "How can we give more?" to "How can we build something that lasts?" That question changed everything and ultimately built to this very moment.
From the very beginning, WENDO was built on three founding principles:
Dignity is All It Takes - Every woman deserves to be seen, heard and valued.
Faith in Action - Belief is not spoken, it is lived through service.
Education as an Equaliser - Knowledge is the key that unlocks generational change.
With this in their hearts, Virginia, Lavender and Lilian chose to build something rooted in empowerment, sustainability and ownership; a future where women and girls would have the tools to shape their own destinies.
Expanding the Vision
As the vision became clearer, the circle widened. In came Daniela De Rosa, a photojournalist with a lens trained on the world. Passionate about women’s rights, she brought something essential for growth: visibility. Through storytelling and photography, Daniela began documenting the lives of women and girls in Kenya, not as passive subjects, but as individuals full of resilience, strength and possibility.
With every photograph she took and every story she shared WENDO’s impact began to travel, reaching hearts far beyond the communities it serves. You can see many of the incredible photos Daniela has taken on this website.
Each founder brought something essential, and together, they became whole, they became WENDO.
This vision continues to today.
In 2025, Beverley White joined our Board of Trustees, bringing a powerful belief in education and faith. She saw education not simply as an opportunity, but as a transformative force capable of breaking cycles and rewriting generational stories.
In her eyes, empowering a girl through education was never just about her, it was about everyone who would come after her. Beverley’s Christian faith, much like Virginia, Lavender and Lilian's, was not separate from the work, it lived within it.
At WENDO, faith is not an abstract idea; it is expressed through action, service and compassion in the communities we serve every day.
The Birth of WENDO and the Journey to 2.0
In 2023, WENDO was officially registered as a charity. What began as a few women sending money home had evolved into a structured, purpose-driven organisation working across 2 continents.
Since then, we have continued to grow through education support, community engagement, mentorship, advocacy and remain committed to creating partnerships to expand our reach.
Now, in 2026 and beyond, we are entering a new era. The relaunch of our website marks a new beginning for WENDO - remodelled and rejuvenated for the challenges ahead, a renewed commitment to our mission and an online home for our growing global community. This is not just a fresh coat of digital paint; it is a declaration that we are ready to scale our impact.
Today, every programme WENDO delivers reflects the vision our founders first imagined: empowering women and girls to become leaders within their own communities.
Through education, mentoring, advocacy, community engagement and partnerships, WENDO continues to build opportunities that create lasting change, not only for individuals, but for future generations across Kenya.
A Movement Built on Love and Action
WENDO’s journey is a powerful reminder that radical change often starts with a single step. It is proof that when we move from a place of humility and love, we build movements that last.
Virginia, Lavender, Lilian and Daniela laid the foundation but there are dozens of people who have come and gone who have played their part in getting us to this point and ensured we have a strong foundation to expand the mission to reach the world. There are too many to name, but we thank them all for their contribution.
All four of these incredible women, together with Beverley, remain actively involved in shaping the future of WENDO as our Board of Trustees, and their leadership continues to inspire us. We might have started as a quiet act of love, but we're determined to create a movement built for lasting change.
Be Part of the Story
The launch of our new website is about much more than a new online presence.
It reflects how far WENDO has grown since those first conversations between three women determined to do more than simply pay school fees for girls halfway around the world.
Today, WENDO has stronger partnerships, clearer programmes and an expanding network of supporters who believe lasting change happens when communities are empowered from within.
This relaunch marks the beginning of WENDO 2.0, a renewed commitment to reaching more women, supporting more girls and inviting more people to become part of this growing movement.
WENDO has never been built by one person. It began with three women who believed small acts of love could create lasting change.
This is without question a new beginning for WENDO, but it is only the beginning. If WENDO’s story speaks to you, then you are already part of it. Whether you choose to partner with us, volunteer for us, sponsor us, advocate for us, work for us, donate to us or just share our stories, your voice and support can really help shape the next instalment.
As we start the next chapter of our story, we invite you to walk with us and grow with us. Help us build a future where every woman and girl rises. Because when one girl stays in school, one woman finds her voice, or one community gains hope, the story of WENDO continues and grows even louder. Together, we're driven by women and created for change.
To celebrate this incredible milestone, we invite you to explore our fantastic new website for updates, stories and ways you can get involved. Follow us on social media (all linked at the foot of every page) to stay connected. There are a lot of blank pages ahead, no doubt plenty of twists and turns to navigate, but we've never been more prepared to meet and overcome those challenges. Let’s write the next chapter together.
Welcome to WENDO. One organisation in which you can play a part too. We are #WENDOforChange
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