Duncan Mwangi: Turning Pastor’s Aspirations into Child Advocacy

Duncan Kimani Mwangi’s life trajectory took an unexpected turn from his childhood ambition of becoming a pastor, mirroring his father’s footsteps. In this captivating narrative shared with ODHIAMBO NEEMA, Duncan recounts how an evangelical mission in a Nairobi slum steered him directly into his destined path.

Born in Solai, Nakuru County, to parents who served as church ministers, Duncan Kimani Mwangi had his path set before him. There was no doubt in his mind that he would grow to become a pastor. He greatly looked up to his father, who possessed qualities that he deeply admired.

“My father was very kind and generous and always offered a listening ear. He was always there for us, and I really wanted to grow up and be like him. I associated these qualities with his being a pastor,” recalls Duncan.

This deep admiration for his father would shape his life forever. After completing his high school education at Kieni High School in Subukia, Duncan joined the Kenya Baptist Theological Seminary in Limuru to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, later opting for a business administration and leadership degree at St Paul’s College in the United Kingdom. Afterwards, he obtained a Master’s Degree in leadership and sustainability from Robert Kennedy University in Zurich.

After his studies, Duncan entered the job market and was fortunate to work with travel companies like the African Christian Tours & Safaris (ACTS Africa), which co-develops and facilitates meaningful and impactful transformative journeys through their mission and leisure trips in Sub-Saharan Africa.

While he deeply enjoyed working in tours and travel, he had a strong gut feeling that it was not his purpose or calling. To quench this feeling, he still involved himself in mission work and marketplace evangelism. It was on one such mission, while ministering at a slum in Huruma, that Duncan stumbled upon his calling.

“The year was 2005. I had gone on an evangelical mission at a slum in Huruma. Suddenly, I saw this young boy who was roaming around the slum, not knowing where he would get his next meal from or lay down his head. I inquired about his parents, but no one seemed to know anything. He was homeless and abandoned, and no one seemed to care. I was very moved by his situation, and, at the age of 24, offered to shelter him. I later discovered that he was HIV positive, which is why no one offered him help,” the 42-year-old recalls.

In light of this, in 2007, Duncan partnered with a seminary colleague to research the causes of child abandonment in Kenya. They found out that HIV & AIDS was one of the leading causes of child abandonment and the situation was exacerbated by the fact that there was little support for parents who were living with HIV & AIDS.

In response to their findings, Duncan and his friend co-founded a ministry to support men and women living with HIV & AIDS. The ministry has now grown into an international non-profit- UNTOLD, formerly Care for Aids. He has also co-authored a book, Beyond Blood, which addresses life with HIV & AIDS.

That fateful 2005 meeting became the onset of Duncan’s lifelong journey of helping vulnerable, orphaned, and homeless children and teenagers. As time went on, he welcomed more boys into his home, and by the time he got married, Duncan lived with 11 boys. Fortunately, his wife shared his vision, and, in 2013, they founded Oasis of Endless Hope, located in Ruiru – a home and shelter for rescued teenagers.

Since its inception, Oasis of Endless Hope Centre has supported 171 vulnerable children. Currently, the home supports 30 children who live in the centre, and 30 others who live with their families or caregivers.

“We adopted a model where we take children in at the time the academic calendar begins. This is because we are big on education, and we sponsor teenagers’ high school education. So, we mostly take children in as they join Form 1,” Duncan explains.

“We also have vulnerability criteria that we use to establish who lives in the home, and who we can support through other channels, like by paying school fees only.

First, our team visits the teenager, listens to their story, gathers and verifies the information provided, then moves forward to engage the child and find out whether they are willing to be helped, whether they are willing to study and whether they have parents or trusted loved ones that they can go back to, outside of the centre. This is because we are also big on reintegration into the community,” he says.

“Once this is established, our local team of board members determines whether the child needs help, and to what extent. On average, the centre helps between seven and 10 children each year; half of them from the centre and the other half from outside,” he adds.

One of the biggest challenges he’s faced managing Oasis is the stereotype most Kenyans have about children’s homes.

“People visit Oasis and see kids who are well taken care of and misjudge them. Just because they are not dressed in tattered rags, most people assume that the kids do not actually need help, and dismiss their problems. This has been very hard on us, as people assume that we do not need help, even when we are struggling. As a society, we sell desperation. People do not understand that there can be hope in a children’s home,” Duncan explains.

As we conclude the interview, the self-proclaimed “father of three biological children and many others” shares incredible nuggets of wisdom. “Each one of us is called into something. As the body of Christ, we need to support everyone to realise and pursue their calling. Do not do what others are doing; do what you need to do. And in whatever God has called you to do, help others win.”

This article was originally published in Issue 438. Click HERE to read the full issue.

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