A Joyful Beginning
In 2016, at a conference in San Diego, an unexpected encounter ignited a powerful partnership. Amidst a crowd of 1,000, Marianna Pinto met Christine Vulimu, a dedicated teacher from Nairobi, Kenya. Christine passionately shared her vision: to empower young girls with the transformative power of education. She works with school counselors, identifying those with unwavering commitment, perseverance, and a burning desire to break free from challenging circumstances.
Deeply moved by Christine’s dedication, Marianna was inspired to support her mission. While showing Christine the sights of San Diego, a simple conversation about the cost of a luxury hotel room ($1,000/night) sparked a profound realization. Christine’s shocked response – “That amount could provide 1.5 years of boarding school for a girl in Kenya” – solidified Marianna’s commitment to support One Hand Initiative, an organization dedicated to lifting up one girl at a time. Marianna shared Christine’s mission with her sister, Suzanne (President), family and friends who were excited to join in.
In 2019, they sponsored their first student, Michelle, as a freshman. Today, Michelle is a high school senior, poised to become the first in her family and her entire village to graduate. This remarkable achievement exemplifies the profound impact of education.
Through online interactions with the girls and their families, Marianna and Suzanne have witnessed firsthand the incredible transformations that occur within these young women during their high school journey. Now, as some of these remarkable young women embark on their university studies, a sense of excitement and anticipation fills the air. With each girl they support, One Hand Initiative is cultivating a brighter future, one filled with hope and the promise of a better tomorrow.
ONE HAND INITIATIVE (OHI) is a very small grassroots organization of women empowering young girls and women to change their lives and that of their families and communities through Education. The mission was started in 2016 and has been growing…OHI supports a small, hand selected group of girls from High School, through University (12-14 girls in 2024) and into their employment experiences if needed as the goal is to grow and nuture our girls to become successful, empowered women….and then they will give back to other young girls…and so our outreach will grow and education will show its rippling effects…
Due to increasing fees to obtain a University education in Kenya, ONE HAND INITIATIVE became a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization in April 30, 2024. Donations are now tax deductible as OHI tries to support the girls in Kenya through an education.
The women in OHI are very excited by all that is happening…we have much work to do to raise enough funds to continue our small MISSION.
Board Members:
President – Suzanne Reppert | Treasurer/Secretary- Dawn Shelton | Clerk – Sharon Strimling
Bios will be added soon.
ONE HAND INITIATIVE 