In 2021, Francoise Nwabufo and her team settled to work in the Nkolanga’a community, where she ran an organic farm. During school holidays, many children would visit, eager to learn and play. She welcomed them warmly, teaching them about crops and spending time together.

When the holidays ended, Francoise noticed that the children were still coming to the farm. Concerned, she asked gently, “Don’t you go to school?” Their answers revealed the depth of their struggles. Their parents could not afford regular school fees, so the children only attended the years they could pay for. Some who should have been nearing high school were still in primary school. Francoise could not stand by and watch their potential slip away. Determined to act, in 2022, she reached out to a friend named Danielle Causer, whom she had met during their Global Nursing Leadership Training (GNLI). Danielle runs a rural nursing podcast and lives in Australia with her family. Together, they provided books and educational resources, giving the children a chance to continue their education.

As she worked with them, Francoise learned of another challenge. Many children’s parents constantly fought, creating tension so intense that even mealtimes were stressful. One child confided, “Even if I have food, I cannot eat happily.”
Determined to help the children find calm and confidence, Francoise applied to a peace-building programme. She guided them through lessons on faith, hope, and values, encouraging them to express themselves, reflect, and find ways to cope with the difficulties at home. These sessions helped the children feel heard, understood, and supported.

While working with the children, Francoise realised that many could not even write their names. To address this, she reached out to a local church leader to run a basic literacy programme during the school holidays. The programme extended to siblings as well, ensuring more children could learn to read and write while gaining confidence and a sense of belonging.

Francoise also witnessed the fragility of childhood in other ways. A little girl, only two months old, had fallen from a bed and had never been to a hospital. Some children had untreated disabilities, and others suffered from malnutrition. One eight-year-old visited a hospital for the first time, and some received their very first toothbrush at the age of seven. Moved by these challenges, Francois launched a dental care and malnutrition programme, providing children with basic healthcare, nutrition support, and dental hygiene resources—care they had never known before.

Since 2023, the project has continued to grow with support from LaToya Samuel through Sibling Keeper. The organisation still supports the community today, providing scholarships for children to stay in school, dental care, basic literacy, and food assistance to combat malnutrition.

The Family Health and Development Foundation (FAHEDEF), originally created in 2012 and legalised in April 2013 by a group of healthcare workers volunteering their specialties through medical outreach, now carries this mission forward.
Through education, health, and compassion, FAHEDEF continues to bring hope to children and families in Nkolanga’a, proving that small acts of care can blossom into a powerful grassroots movement.

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FAHEDEF