Soul Source Foundation

As we continue celebrating the incredible women who make our work possible, we’re honored to spotlight a leader whose impact reaches far beyond titles or roles.

We recognize those who don’t just support community, they build it, nurture it, and carry it forward every single day.

Marren Ojode
SSF: Kenyan Program Director

Sister, Aunty, Momma, Grandma, Wife, Partner, Friend, Teacher, Mentor, Trainer. The list of titles for the profound Madam only begin to scratch at the surface of her far reaching impact.

Marren Mical Ojode is part of countless three legged stools that rely on her collaboration to support growth and sustainability. She believes in women and has dedicated her life to nurturing and empowering everyone she meets from the smallest child, to the elder who is in transition.

The work of Soul Source is only possible because of her vision and dedication. She continually engages with and lifts up her community near and far. This Women's History Month, we celebrate an icon, Marren Ojode, for teaching us how to love fiercely and gently to empower the women around her to reach for their wildest dreams!

Please consider donating to continue the work of Soul Source as it empowers the women and girls it supports.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/womens-history-month

We’re honoring a woman who helped shape everything we do.

Mama Sabina: A real friend of Soul Source as remembered by Matt Peterson
1949-2025

We arrived at her house in a rainstorm. Not the kind of rainstorm where you grab an umbrella and go for a stroll. The kind that turns the roads into rivers. On the last turn the van flipped on its side. We followed Theodora out the side window and grabbed our luggage. Holding our bags over our heads like 30 pound umbrellas we followed a young girl to the only home with light showing through the windows. Inside we met the most wonderful character. Mama Sabina Auma Otieno Oganga. She greeted us with hot tea and a full spread. Ugali, sukuma wiki, whole fried tilapia, chapati and beef stew.

Mama Sabina’s laugh was quick and full. Her house featured a rotating cast of characters. Girls groups, women's groups, laborers, house girls, water boys, cooks and cleaners. She fed everyone. The lights were on because she had a solar panel and a set of batteries. Neighbors stopped by to charge their phones and share the local news. Masala tea was always ten minutes away.

One of her favorite questions was, "Have you eaten?" While a simple question at face value, what it really meant is, "Have you eaten ugali today?" Boiled maize flour with salt shaped into an enormous ball is the centerpiece of dining with Sabina.

Gayle stayed with Sabina for months. Teaching at Kamasengre School and sharing chai and meals. Sabina formed Soul Source. Sharing with Gayle Hammer why girls were not in school: lack of school fees. Family drama. Sharing the real struggles of classrooms without teachers. The difficulty of getting to school in the rainy season.

She connected us to community. Many of her friends, and she had multitudes, became our friends. And the stories they told us, the hopes that they shared, their passions and ideas, all of it opened our eyes to beautiful possibilities already taking shape in the lives of the remarkable people who live on Rusinga Island. It began to give us a sense of how we might help. Listen. Partner. Support.

Mama Sabina was a gift. Her home, where she welcomed us and so many, was a hub of connection and belonging. We miss her terribly. We continue her work. We will spend the rest of our days pondering if we have eaten.

Please consider supporting the continuing work of Soul Source.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/womens-history-month

In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to draw attention to period poverty in Kenya, and how it directly impacts women and girls in their education. In Kenya alone, 65% of women and girls are unable to afford menstrual products. Because of this and the stigma behind menstruation, many girls use unsafe products and stay home from school while on their period resulting in one million Kenyan girls missing school every single month.

Every year, Soul Source Foundation provides reusable Audrey Pads, designed by OMP alumnus, Audrey, for the girls at Kamasengre Mixed Secondary School, a public high school on Rusinga Island. These pads are handmade by community members. However, the girls need something more portable for the school day. Can you help us fund annual disposable pads for girls at these schools?

A small donation of $7/month, or $84/year, will allow one girl in Kenya to have reliable and safe period products for a year. To donate, click the link in our bio to help support!



Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/womens-history-month

Scholar Spotlight: Sophy

We are proud to celebrate Sophy, who has just completed her Program in Catering and Accommodation (Food & Beverage) at Mawego National Polytechnic!

Through dedication and hands-on learning, Sophy has built practical, career-ready skills that will allow her to confidently enter the workforce and create a more stable future for herself. Her journey is a powerful reminder of how access to education opens doors to opportunity, independence, and long-term impact.

We can’t wait to see where her skills take her next!