Our Story
Learn about the Imani Orphan Care Founder Kim Lee.
How We Began
Imani Orphan Care Foundation was founded by Kim Lee in 2010. This registered Canadian Charity is based out of Abbotsford, BC Canada and provides orphaned and vulnerable children in Kenya, East Africa with care, food, clean water, shelter, clothing, hygiene items, love, medical care, and education. In Swahili the word Imani means Faith. Kim named Imani Orphan Care Foundation after her daughter Kennedy Faith who was stillborn in December of 2006. Through Imani, this deep loss is now bringing HOPE too many!
Before going to Kenya God was speaking to Kim about working with and helping orphaned and vulnerable children in the world. Kim would have dreams at night of children pulling at her and she felt a real sense of urgency. The dreams did not stop until she traveled to Kenya to see what God had in store for her. Kim visited Kenya in June of 2010 for the first time. During this initial trip she visited the Mombasa area, which is the 2nd largest city in Kenya and is situated on Kenya’s coast. She visited many orphan homes in Mombasa as well as areas north and south of the city.
Kim was confident that God had something quite special in store for her; however, nothing could prepare her for the great need that she witnessed. Kim knew that she was exactly where God wanted her to be but still had difficulty handling what she observed.
Upon returning from Kenya in July 2010, Kim was filled with an undeniable passion to help these defenseless children that she had been blessed to meet. And so a great story began and Imani Orphan Care Foundation had now begun.
The vision that God has given Kim for this ministry is BIG. As Kim remains faithful and obedient in moving forward with the foundation, she continues to watch Imani grow. Kim is quite simply a regular person; a mother of 2 boys. She is not one for the spotlight, yet she humbly puts herself out there, continually, to give these children a voice. Kim is so thankful that she said YES to God; so much could have been lost had she said no.
God has grown Imani Orphan Care Foundation since the start in 2010 and He continues to bless this ministry. Kim is so thankful that she gets to experience such love for the many incredible kids that God has placed into her life.
Not able to make it to the event?
Consider helping us in other ways.
Can I make a one-time donation?
Yes, there are many projects and daily needs within an orphanage that need immediate funding.
Can I write a cheque for an entire year of sponsorship?
Yes, in order to set this up please contact info@imaniorphancare.com. You are still able to choose a child or children that you would like to support for a year or you can have us choose a child for you.
Can I correspond with my child?
Yes, you are able to correspond by writing to your child/children. You can simply mail your letter to Imani Orphan Care and we will be sure that your letter reaches your sponsored child. There are also travel opportunities available to visit your sponsored child in Kenya. If this is of interest to you please contact us at info@imaniorphancare.com.
Can these children be adopted?
Adoption is a great way to help orphaned children however this process is not an easy one and it is not always a reliable one. It is hard to understand why adopting a child has to be such a long uncertain process. To understand this process better please contact your provincial adoption agency as they have the knowledge required to make this adoption process happen. Even if all of the world’s 163,000,000 orphaned children were able to be eligible for adoption there just are not enough people who want to adopt or who can afford the adoption process.
Thankfully we have the opportunity through sponsorship to give these children a better life and future. This is the best alternative that we presently have to help the orphaned children in the world.
Can $40/ month really provide what an orphaned child needs?
In developing countries, yes. The funds for child sponsorship go directly towards providing for shelter, food, clothing, education, spiritual instruction, and medical needs of the children in care through Imani.
Am I the only sponsor that my child has?
To completely cover the monthly costs associated with each child in care, a total of 4 sponsors per child is required for those living at Imani Home of Love. Only one sponsor per child is needed for children who are apart of Imani's Outreach program who are supported with education and hygiene/food needs so that they can remain living with their widowed moms.
What happens to my sponsored child after graduation from high school?
We work hard with each child to put together an education plan best suited to their needs. Imani Orphan Care’s goal is to have our kids reach their full potential becoming competent educated adults able to support themselves.
How much of my sponsorship goes to my child?
Your child will receive $40.00/month of your support.
How much of my monthly support goes to admin fees?
Imani Orphan Care admin fees are 0%. Imani covers admin fees through fundraising events and designated donations to cover these expenses.
Will I receive a tax receipt for my donation?
Yes, Imani Orphan Care Foundation is a registered Canadian Charity allowing us to issue tax receipts to Canadian donors.
Imani Orphan Care Foundation Registered Charity Number – BN#800228314RR0001
Yes, Imani Orphan Care Foundation is registered with the IRS 501 (c) (3) EIN 61-1935396 allowing for federal tax exemption to United States donors.
What does this mean? 501 (c) (3) is part of the IRS tax code that indicates whether organizations are tax exempt. If an organization is a 501 (c) (3), like Imani Orphan Care Foundation, donations to that organization are tax deductible to the full extent of the law on your annual tax return.