the beginning.

My name is Jess Danforth and I am the Founder and Executive Director of The Leo Project. I will start at the very beginning.

I promised to create something in honor of Caitlin O’Hara, my very best friend who had just died following a double lung transplant. In the summer of 2018, I decided to that this something would be a resource center. I finalized the organization’s name, decided on Pantone 1235 C for the logo and started fundraising.

In late 2018, we purchased an acre of land and hired a contractor from Western Kenya who came highly recommended and seemed too good to be true (red flag, Jess). He was sent the building design which was sketched by an architect in Mill Valley, California. The inky black lines were transposed into meticulous architectural renderings and submitted to the local Kenyan government for approval. 

In January 2019, we broke ground. The foundation was poured and construction quickly progressed. In September 2019, just as the walls and roof of our 5,500 sq. foot Resource Center were almost complete, our contractor disappeared. A second contractor took over but - alas - that did not work out either. Unsure of what to do and eager to complete construction, I decided to take over as general contractor. With recommendations from friends in the Nanyuki area, I hired a carpenter and, from that point on, I purchased every single supply myself. I went to lumber yards and made daily trips to the hardware store. I visited electrical shops and deliberated paint swatches. I broke down electrical usage into kilowatt seconds and tried to understand the best ways to minimize our carbon footprint. I learned about different soil types for planting and analyzed the most sustainable water source. I tried to understand the nuances of Kenyan labor law and absorbed myself into the frenetic cadence of a construction site. Everyone had warned me that there was no such thing as a project being completed within or even close to budget, but I was determined to prove them wrong. I was determined to avoid many of the hindrances and red tape that commonly plague construction. I was determined not to stray from the numbers in my Google Spreadsheets and budgets that had been shared with generous donors.  

And we did it. I aspired to create an environment flooded with natural equatorial light. A space with eggshell white walls and cathedral ceilings and a view of Africa’s second highest mountain. I wanted it to be a place that those who visited were reluctant to leave; a respite of sorts.

In January 2020, we opened doors to the local community.

I try to step back and understand why I feel so attached to this building and each person that crosses through our gate. To understand why I feel so discouraged when kids write on the walls. To understand why my heart swells when I see a group of women with babies tied to their backs learning to write their names for the first time. To understand why I feel so frustrated when employees have provided sub-par work. I need The Leo Project to work and the organization will work because this is all in honor of Caitlin. She isn’t here and this building and this entire project are a tribute to her.

I struggle at times because I don’t ever want to impose my beliefs on the surrounding community. That is why all of The Leo Project’s services are free of charge and completely voluntary. That being said, I believe that all are entitled to basic human rights. I started this project in Kenya vs. the US because East Africa lacks many of the social services that we are entitled to here in the US. Some of us made out in the so-called birth lottery. Some are failed and discriminated against and many fall through the cracks. There are injustices that I don’t even attempt to understand. There are massive fractures of inequality plaguing our world; a great chasm between those with access to education and health care and those without. At The Leo Project, everything that we have done and everything that we will do is fueled by the local community and their candid feedback. We have created a space to incubate ideas, to pilot different solutions and, if something doesn’t work or doesn’t resonate, we will pivot accordingly.

And so we offer computer and coding classes. We offer art classes, literacy classes and numeracy classes. We have and we will continue to do so. But a paper plate lion with construction paper whiskers stuck to the side doesn’t abate the feeling of hunger. Yoga poses and JavaScript don’t free one from an abusive home. But our hope is that this becomes a true community resource center. A place where people feel protected and inspired. We hope to open people’s eyes to different outlets, different opportunities that one day might materialize into work. 

I had no idea what I was in for when I started this project but, as I promised, one foot in front of the other for Caitlin. We have plans - BIG PLANS - that we look forward to sharing with you all. Thank you for being part of this community.