The Ameena Project Origin Story

In 2009, Ian and Anne May uprooted their lives in Portland and moved to Kenya to manage a humanitarian project. In 2010, they welcomed their youngest daughter and named her Ameena, meaning “amen” or “let it be so” in Swahili. The dramatic disparity between the opportunities available to American children like Ameena, and so many impoverished Kenyan babies born at that same time, was something they could not ignore – they had to act. In partnership with passionate and gifted Kenyan early education professionals, they established Ameena Project to bring opportunity to Kenyan children. It starts with equal access to education and nourishment, and our commitment that each dollar donated goes directly to Kenya – for the teachers, staff, meals and educational supplies required to nourish, educate and offer hope for a better future.