2001 — 2026
In May 2001, Moses Ndung'u made a decision. He left his business, opened his home to five children, and committed to a vision that most people would have called impossible. Twenty-five years later, the gate is still open.
These are not statistics. Each one is a life.
Since 2001, over 8,300 children have walked through the gate at CGH.
250 home students and 170 day scholars — growing in the garden right now.
From gardeners in Kenya, Singapore, USA and beyond. (approx. USD 3.1M)
Land, buildings and farmland — permanent and growing. (approx. USD 775K)
Through drought, pandemic, and hardship — the doors have never closed. Not once.
The Journey
Moses and Sylvia begin with five children in a one-room tin-roofed shanty near Kawangware slum. A Swedish donor pays the first month's rent. The gate opens for the first time.
As the family grows, CGH moves to a church space with partitioned classrooms. Separate rooms are rented for boys and girls.
A Canadian church group purchases the current CGH premises and donates it as the permanent home and school. The foundation of something lasting is laid.
The pioneer KCPE class sits exams. One student scores 426 out of 500. Nine others score above 300. The school is serious about education.
Job Wanjala graduates from the University of Nairobi with a BA in Economics — one of the earliest CGH children to complete university. He returns as a volunteer mentor.
Alvin Yong arrives from Singapore for the first time. The foundation of a secondary school block is laid with donor funds. The Chicken Farm project begins — an experiment in social enterprise that continues to this day.
The secondary school block for Forms 1–3 is completed across four years of donor support. School uniforms provided to all secondary students.
The science laboratory building is completed — transforming the academic ambitions of the students. The CGH drama team performs at the Stockholm Opera House, Sweden. Alvin returns and launches the Children's Garden News Network (CGNN).
Secondary school classrooms and laboratory fully completed. A proper boys' dormitory built — thanks to Safaricom staff. The first nursery hall built — thanks to the Jacoba van Wassenaer Foundation, Netherlands. Alvin returns for his 2018 seva — 10 projects fully funded by Singapore donors.
Alvin returns for his 2022 seva. A perimeter concrete security wall is built — SGD 21,000 raised from Singapore donors. 32 students climb Mount Longonot for a graduation trek. Tartfully Yours conceptualised. Jens and his US donors fund the Naivasha farmland purchase.
The Special Education School Block is completed — designed by volunteer architects Patrick Edison and Alyssa Lim of Dubai. Tartfully Yours launches. Meridian 101 acupressure training introduced. Alvin returns in November to officially open the Special Education School.
Solar electrification Phase 1 installed — clean sustainable water for the home. Website redesigned. 25th anniversary. A new chapter beginning. The gate is still open.
The Community
CGH has been sustained by a community of gardeners from around the world — individuals, families, and organisations who gave what they could, when they could, because they believed in what was growing here.
Some gave once. Some have given every year for over a decade. All of them are part of this garden.
— Daddy Alvin, Seva 2018
What Comes Next
Every month, a new gardener joins. Every month, the gate stays open for one more child. This is how a 25-year story continues — one decision at a time.
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