Father Chris Musyoka spent years quietly paying school fees for rural children who had no other way in. Then he built them their own school. Today it's ranked #1 in the ward.
Father Chris Musyoka is a Franciscan friar vowed to poverty. For years before the School of Angels existed, he did something quietly radical: he personally paid school fees for bright children from rural communities around Kenya who had no other way to get an education, sending them to schools scattered across the country.
But Father Chris had a bigger dream. He wanted to bring those students home, to build a school in his own hometown of Sofia, in the Machakos subcounty of Kenya, where the children of that community could learn together, close to their families.
"Education is the pathway to ending poverty and illiteracy in Kenya." Father Chris Musyoka, Founder
That dream became the School of Angels. What started as a two-classroom idea in 2014 grew into a thriving secondary school, and in its most recent academic year, it ranked #1 in the ward and #3 in the entire Machakos subcounty. Not despite its humble origins. Because of them.
Be Part of This StoryFrom a priest quietly paying school fees to a top-ranked school in the subcounty. That's what Father Chris, his students, and donors across two continents built together.
Father Chris began by paying school fees for rural students one by one. The School of Angels brought them home, to a school built for their community.
In the most recent academic year, the School of Angels ranked first in its ward and third in the Machakos subcounty, an extraordinary achievement for a young school.
November 2018: the school's first graduating class walked across the stage. Students who had no path to higher education now had one.
When Lieutenant Thomas Giandomenico of the LA County Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) met Paul Hudak, a Wabash College graduate working near Sofia, and saw those first two classrooms, he didn't look away.
He brought the story back to his SEB team in Los Angeles. Since 2014, the SEB has been one of the school's leading sponsors, a partnership between two communities separated by an ocean but united by the same belief: every child deserves a chance.
Dr. Bill Cook has also visited the school and delivered lectures to students, bringing world-class knowledge directly to rural Kenya.
There are no overhead costs. Every dollar you give goes directly to the lives of these children. Here's what we need most right now.
Completing the multi-story school building gives every student a permanent, safe place to learn, the foundation Father Chris always envisioned.
Every student deserves a proper place to sit and store their belongings. Basic furnishings free students to focus on what matters: learning.
Music builds community, confidence, and joy. Help us give the school a full music program, something kids can belong to outside of class.
Donate $5,000 or more and become a Gold Member: your name on a classroom wall in Sofia, Kenya.
Make a DonationFrom Kenya to California, this school exists because real people showed up and stayed.
A Franciscan friar who spent years paying school fees for rural students out of his own pocket before building them a home. He runs the school day-to-day through FOPCO, his charitable foundation.
An SEB lieutenant who saw two classrooms in rural Kenya and went home to rally his entire unit. Since 2014, SEB has been one of the school's leading sponsors.
A Wabash College graduate who was working near Sofia when he first encountered the school. He became the bridge between the community in Kenya and supporters in California.
In the most recent academic year, the School of Angels achieved its highest ranking yet: #1 in the ward and #3 in the Machakos subcounty. For a school built from scratch in a rural community, this result reflects the dedication of Father Chris, the students, and every donor who believed in this mission.
November 2018 was a landmark moment for the School of Angels: the first class of students completed their secondary education. Children who had no clear path to higher education now had proof that the path was real.
A new laboratory and classroom building was completed and equipped. Dr. Bill Cook visited the school to tour the facility and delivered a lecture directly to the students, bringing world-class expertise to rural Kenya.
Real moments from the students and community of Sofia, Kenya
Proud Partners & Sponsors
No overhead. No administrative fees. Every single dollar you donate goes directly to the children of the School of Angels in Sofia, Kenya. Your gift builds classrooms, fills chairs, and opens futures.
Donate Securely via PayPalPrefer to write a check? Mail to:
The School of Angels
21212 E Covina Hills Rd, Covina, CA 91724
Processed securely through PayPal. For wire transfers or questions, email us. Donations processed through the Bill Cook Foundation 501(c)(3).
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