Caring Hearts and Hands



	"The only reason I am in this world, at this moment with the tools God has given me, is to make a positive difference in other people’s lives." Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku Officers/Board of Directors: Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku, President Dr. Kituku grew up watching his mother in Kangundo, Kenya, provide food and clothes to people suffering from mental illness and those with delayed mental and physical development. His father also let some of those people stay at his store overnight, especially during the rainy seasons. While at Tala High School, Vincent was involved with adult literacy where he taught senior citizens counting, basic ABCs and how to write their names. Those childhood observations and boyhood involvements in other people’s well-being have become Dr. Kituku’s pillars as he helps people from all over the world. His family has provided financial support to children in the Holy Land and Africa through international programs over the years. They provide tuition, food, water, shelter and medical help for relatives and strangers, especially those who have lost their husband and father. Dr. Kituku organizes schools and church groups to sponsor specific projects with 100% of contributions devoted to the projects. However, the many brilliant high school students who are orphans or children of widows or from poverty stricken families have touched Vincent. He knows the solution for these students is to have an education. Yet many are out of school because they simply can’t afford the $250-$350 per year tuition and fees needed to attend high school. Vincent who has lived in the USA since 1986 says, "How could I be blind to the suffering of the mother of six who hanged herself because she could not afford to pay tuition for her daughter to attend high school? How was I supposed to live knowing one of Kenya’s college bright stars, an orphan whose parents were claimed by AIDS, was at home languishing because he cannot afford $200/semester to continue his university education? Or how could I erase the emptiness I experienced with pastor Kiseve and his wife when we visited a single mother whose son had been sent home from school for lack of Ksh.8,000 ($105) needed for his high school senior year exam fees and tuition." His question for the mother was, "What are you to do?" "Nothing" was her only response. That was a defining moment for Dr. Kituku. He realized that if he did "Nothing" there are orphans and children of widows who will not have a future. The orphans and children of widows are being left behind because of lack of school tuition. We send tuition donations directly to the schools of high school and public university students who are orphans or children of widows. That way the money is used for the purpose it’s intended for. If you are a sponsor ($250-$350/year for a high school student) you will be given the student’s name, school and contact information. Shelley Peterson, Treasurer Shelley J. Peterson is Treasurer to Caring Hearts and Hands of Hope, Inc. She has been a resident of Boise, Idaho since 1974. Shelley grew up on a Jersey dairy farm near Ontario, Oregon and her parents instilled a caring/self-sufficient lifestyle. Her father had been a POW in WWII and his history of human suffering, starvation and the importance of positive spirit have inspired Shelley throughout her life with empathy for others. Her love and care also extends into care and concern for animals as well. In 1995, Shelley’s involvement in Toast Masters introduced her to Vincent Kituku. When she heard of the Kenyan orphans plight, she was moved to ask Vincent how she could help, thus she became a board member assisting in tracking funds and mailing thank you notices to sponsors. Shelley has been employed by Hewlett-Packard Co. for the past 22 years. She has 31+ years of office administration experience. She has served on her HOA board, local chapter Professional Secretaries International board, and in 1991 started National Night Out in Boise and Ada County for the Boise Police Department (and ran that for 7 years). She has also been a Neighborhood Watch Chairperson for 18+ years. Shelley is a quilt maker and has donated several quilts to local charities. Tony Greer, Secretary Tony Greer is the Plant Manager for Bigelow Tea’s Boise facility. Prior to moving to Boise in 2006, he enjoyed a 15 year stint with Sonoco Products, serving as Plant Manager in three locations before becoming the Regional Manager for 11 plants in the Western US and Canada. Tony has also co-owned and operated a major construction company, annually framing over 1 million square feet of housing in private and government contracts. He has expertise in all aspects of Operations Management, with extensive experience in “turnarounds”, Lean manufacturing, change initiatives, and productivity improvement. Tony is a member of the Advisory Board for TechHelp, an organization dedicated to providing solutions for Idaho’s manufacturers, processors, and inventors. He is also involved in the Boise Valley Economic Partnership and is an adjunct professor at George Fox University. Tony grew up in Conway, SC and attended Clemson University, where he earned a BS and MS in Industrial Management. Tony and his wife, Christina, live in Caldwell with one son (Zachary) and three English Setters. Tony enjoys chukar hunting, fishing, rafting, and almost anything that is done outdoors, with yard work being a notable exception. Dr. Kituku (seated 4th from right) in January 2011 with Caring Hearts and Hands of Hope committee members and representatives in Kenya

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