Our story started with 14 abandoned and orphaned children and three big-hearted women, two from Utah, and one from Kenya.   

 

Lifting lives came to life in 2013 when our founder, Ann Dale, and her close friend, Cindy Gardner, traveled from Utah to a rural village in Kenya.  They were on a humanitarian trip to help Carolyne Ashiono, a local Kenyan woman.  While there, Ann and Cindy met a special group of kids who had all been orphaned or abandoned.  The group of 14 children were all being taken care of by Carolyne Ashiono.  Carolyne was doing all she could to care for them after the children's beloved caregiver "Granny" passed away.  When Ann and Cindy met these sweet children, they were living in a tin shed and sleeping on the dirt floor.  Both women had an impression to build a home for them.  This was the beginning of the Gardner Granny Home. In November, 2013 the home was completed and the 14 children moved into their new home in the rural community of Bukura, Kenya where each child had their own bed, for the first time in their lives.  Four months later Cindy passed away from cancer.  Ann continued to do all she could to provide basic needs and education for the children. 

 

Thanks to our family of sponsors and donors over the past 10 years, Lifting Lives has seen significant growth in our impact and reach. Lifting Lives has continued to help the original 14 children, the oldest two which have recently graduated college and started their careers.  Additionally, we are helping 39 more children in similar circumstances.  The youngest children live in the Gardner Granny Home, which sits on the campus of  Daisy Academy where they attend primary school (from preschool to grade nine).  We also provide care for the Gardner Granny children that have moved on to high school, vocational programs and college.  While our focus in on the care of the Gardner Granny children we also fund projects that support families in the surrounding communities.

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