Village of Love Canada
Village of Love Canada (VoLC) is a group of motivated volunteers who raise funds for Kijiji Cha Upendo's work in Kibera, Kenya.
Some of us have visited the work in Kenya or hosted the Obaras, the founders of Kijiji Cha Upedo, in our Canadian homes. Some have worked in development and know a good program when they see one. All are part of VoLC because we care and want to make a difference for orphans and vulnerable children.
Our goal is to support Kijiji Cha Upendo's work effectively and efficiently. Since launching in 2011, we've grown as “Kijiji” has grown. With your help, we will continue to grow the support for women and children in Kibera.
Our story
2004
Two women met at an international AIDS conference in Toronto. Leonora Obara (left) worked with people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. She and her husband, Andrew, had adopted five children orphaned by AIDS.
Robyn Salter (right) worked with children living with AIDS at SickKids hospital in Toronto. Robyn was "blown away" by Leonora’s generosity and love.
Leonora did not ask for help, but Robyn shared the situation with friends at her church, who pooled funds to support the Obaras in providing for their adopted and biological children's education. Over the years, as the number of children the Obaras adopted grew to 10, Runnymede United Church established the Kenya AIDS Orphans Fund to help with education and other costs.
2009-2010
The Obaras couldn't take in any more orphaned children – there simply wasn't the space! But they had an idea. They knew that other families, often very impoverished families, had taken in orphaned children and were struggling. Their idea was to organize these families into a group so that the caregivers could receive support.
Working with local government officials and charitable organizations, 15 families were selected for the first “cluster” in a pilot program. The program was named Kijiji Cha Upendo (“Village of Love”) Children's Project. It was registered with the Kenyan government as a Community-Based Organization, eligible to receive charitable support.
2011-2012
In 2012, Kijiji Cha Upendo held a three-day strategic planning meeting. They set a mission to provide life-transforming support to as many caregivers and orphaned children as possible by establishing more women's clusters.
In Canada, Village of Love Canada (VoLC) was formed in 2011 to raise funds for the new Kijiji Cha Upendo organization. To remain lean and focused on raising funds for Kenya, VoLC became an affiliate of CAP/Network for its charitable status. As of 2026, VoLC now has a charitable affiliation with Runnymede United Church, given the long-standing connection to the work in Kenya and the opportunity to reduce administrative fees.
Today
Kijiji Cha Upendo has developed a professional staff and governance structure to carry out the work. “Kijiji” is seen as a valuable community partner by other organizations and government officials in Kibera. The program has grown to 10 clusters, embracing 150 women and more than 700 children.
“I attended a lunch of the Kijiji micro-finance cluster leaders who explained how the 15 women in each cluster support each other, their families and their businesses. I was deeply moved to see the courage and joy of the women as they testified to the impact of the program in the lives of their families.”
- Ian Gilmour, Toronto, after visiting a Kijiji Cha Upendo women's group recently
Kijiji has diversified its funding base by partnering with other groups and by launching social enterprise operations. VoLC remains Kijiji's core funding partner and often pitches in with additional resources during emergencies, as in the COVID pandemic and the recent USAID cuts.
Village of Love Canada believes it "takes a village to raise a child." If you or your organization would like to be part of that village in Canada, please reach out to us via the Contact page. Together, we can help Kijiji Cha Upendo support more women and children in need. Let's talk!