In 2014, at Dagoretti High School, a boys’ boarding school tucked in Nairobi, something quietly powerful took root. A group of student leaders noticed a painful truth: some of their classmates were returning to school empty-handed. No fare. No books. No basics. While some arrived with stocked trunks and new shoes, others came back carrying little more than hope.

Rather than look away, these students rolled up their sleeves.

They formed a small club and called it Ready Aiders Foundation. The mission was simple: make sure no student felt ashamed for what they lacked. They started collecting supplies, pooling small contributions, and sharing them quietly and respectfully with those who needed help. It wasn’t charity. It was a community. It was dignity.

What began as a hallway whisper of kindness became a culture shift. The school saw fewer cases of theft, less isolation, and more brotherhood. The idea caught fire.

Years later, the founders now outside the school gates carried that fire with them.

Today, Ready Aiders Foundation is a youth-led nonprofit with a big heart and a wide reach. We run therapy programs for neurodivergent children, digital skills training for girls from marginalized communities, and food security initiatives in under-resourced areas. We also host national events like Mr. & Miss Autism Kenya, because we believe inclusion isn’t optional it’s essential.

But truthfully, we haven’t changed much. We’re still just people who see a need and show up.