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| About Us |
A House of Love — Transforming Lives, One Child at a TimeThe name Casaupendo comes from the words “Casa” (House) and “Upendo” (Love), inspired by God’s second commandment — “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Casaupendo Orphanage was founded by three compassionate friends — Steve Mercill, Emmanuel Sasaka, and Sarah Namukoa — who answered a divine calling to serve children affected by poverty, loss, and trauma. 💛 Steve Mercill, an American humanitarian, established Casaupendo in honor of his father, Dr. Earl Clayton Mercill, fondly known as “Hayfork’s Everyone’s Doctor.” Dr. Mercill devoted over 50 years to serving his community as a family physician, while his wife, Mariane Mercill, carried a lifelong dream to care for orphaned children — a dream now fulfilled through Casaupendo. 💛 Sarah Namukoa, a Psychologist and Ph.D. candidate, lost her father at age 10 and her mother at 17. Having walked the path of an orphan herself, she carries a deep personal mission to restore dignity, love, and opportunity to children who have lost parental care. 💛 Emmanuel Sasaka, a passionate Kenyan philanthropist, believes in the power of kindness and service. His joy is found in putting smiles on the faces of children and helping them believe in a brighter tomorrow. Together, they built Casaupendo as a Christian-based child care program in Kenya — a safe home where orphaned and vulnerable children receive food, shelter, education, healthcare, counseling, and life-skills training, all wrapped in unconditional love. During a safari visit to Kenya, three friends — Steve Mercill, Emmanuel Sasaka, and Sarah Namukoa — were deeply moved by the overwhelming needs they witnessed in local communities. In many regions, families survive on less than one dollar a day, and children — especially orphans — suffer silently with no one to care for them. With the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in some areas, countless parents die young, leaving children in the care of elderly grandmothers who can barely afford a single meal — or, heartbreakingly, alone in their late parents’ homes. Today, Kenya has more than 3.6 million orphaned and vulnerable children, and in Wehoya Village alone, over 1,000 children need urgent support. The situation called for action — and so Casaupendo Orphanage was born. On November, 2018, Casaupendo Community-Based Organization (CBO) was officially registered in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya, with a mission to bring hope, healing, and holistic care to orphans and vulnerable children. Following registration, a community survey revealed devastating realities: extreme child poverty, malnutrition, and trauma among orphaned children living with their aging grannies or completely on their own. Many homes bore silent witnesses of loss — small graves in the yard marking the pain these children endured. During one home visit, a little boy told our team, “We sleep hungry most nights when granny brings home no food.” His grandmother, tears in her eyes, said, “I beg for food in the streets to feed these children. When I get none, we sleep hungry. Please help me.” These encounters became the heartbeat of Casaupendo’s mission. We not only support orphaned children but also the feeble grandmothers who struggle to care for them. Every child in our program now receives:
In February 2021, Casaupendo’s mission expanded globally — officially registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the USA. Our U.S. board includes Cheryl Lusson (President), Rob Hawley (Treasurer), and dedicated board members Allison Sims, Steve Mercill, Emmanuel Sasaka, Cheryl Lusson, and Sarah Namukoa. Our Program Director, Sarah Namukoa, a Psychologist and Ph.D. candidate, leads the design of life-skills programs and trauma-informed care interventions that help children heal, grow, and thrive. At Casaupendo, every gift makes a difference. We depend on your support to continue providing food, education, and hope to children who need it most. 💛 Together, we can transform lives — one child at a time. |
