From dumpsite to determination

Key points:

Teen Gloria Kache says being introduced to Parkview Kitengela United Methodist Church and the No Girl No Cry ministry was a turning point in her life.
In December, she completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and now hopes to attend college.
Church member Andrew Mutungwa said meeting Kache and her family has helped to shape his understanding of hope and human dignity.

Gloria Kache’s journey has been marked by hardship, resilience and unwavering faith.

Amid struggle, the 19-year-old discovered hope, community and a renewed sense of purpose through The United Methodist Church and its No Girl No Cry initiative.

“My life changed for the worse two years ago,” Kache said quietly. “When my mother separated from my father, we had to leave everything behind. We moved to Kitengela carrying more pain than possessions. Life was harsh; food was scarce; our basic needs went unmet; and finances were always a struggle.

“To survive, my mother, my younger siblings and I worked at the Kitengela dumpsite. Every day we collected plastics just to put food on the table. The work was exhausting and humiliating, but it was the only way we could live. Even today, my mother works at the dumpsite to support us and make sure we have something to eat.”

Ministry transforms girls’ pain into purpose

Despite everything, Kache said, she held onto hope.

“Life felt unfair and overwhelming, but God had a plan.”

She recalled her introduction to Parkview Kitengela United Methodist Church and the No Girl No Cry ministry as a turning point. In 2025, she was approached by member Andrew Mutungwa, who invited the family to church.

“I felt warmth, acceptance and belonging. I joined the No Girl No Cry initiative, where I was loved, supported and reminded that my life still had value and purpose.”

Her eyes lit up as she spoke of her achievement. “In December 2025, I completed my Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and attained a C minus. It was not easy, but I was proud of myself. Now I hope to join college in September 2026.

How to help

To support ministry and mission in Kenya, donate to the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Advance #04861A.

“Financial challenges still stand in my way,” Kache added. “But I remain strong in faith. God will make a way for me. My journey has been painful, but it has taught me resilience. My story is not over yet.”

Mutungwa, a first-year divinity student at Africa University, joined Parkview Kitengela’s outreach to scavengers at the dumpsite. He said meeting Kache and her family has helped to shape his understanding of hope and human dignity.

“On a quiet Sunday evening in April 2025, I met Gloria Kache, her mother, Agnes Karisa, sister Vivian Karisa, and brothers Elijah Karisa and Samson Chai,” he said.

“They were new arrivals. For three days, they had not eaten. Hunger, fear and rejection had weakened them deeply. The children wore school uniforms, a painful reminder of interrupted education and broken dreams. Without gloves or masks, they scavenged under unsafe conditions, their dignity slowly fading under the weight of survival,” he said.

“That evening I shared a simple meal and a few dollars, but, more importantly, I offered encouragement and invited them to church. That encounter became a doorway to restoration.”

Mutungwa said through the No Girl No Cry program, Kache began to regain confidence.

The church has contributed $100 U.S. to support her academic journey toward Kenya Methodist University, but the amount is not enough to secure her admission. For now, she volunteers as a teacher at Parkview Kitengela’s Mumo Educational Center, investing in other children even as she waits for her own opportunity.

“Gloria’s life now carries a quiet testimony that dignity can rise even from dust. This is a call for partnership — to complete what has begun, and to transform fragile hope into lasting restoration.”