The Neighbor Kwa Jirani Foundation logo reflects our mission to serve orphaned children and vulnerable families in Kenya through education, health, and community support.
The Meaning of Our Name
The Foundation’s name is a mixture of two languages spoken in Kenya: English and Swahili
“Neighbor Kwa Jirani” can be understood as:
“Neighbor to Neighbor” or “at the neighbor’s place.”
This concept forms the essence of the rural African family mentality and community perspective. In the traditional African villages where we work, houses and huts are situated side by side for safety, sharing, and helping one another with basic tasks and needs.
Members of these rural African communities are taught from a young age that they have a social and moral responsibility to help their family, their clan, their tribe, and their neighbor in times of need.
At Neighbor Kwa Jirani, we have adopted this African village mindset. We have come to believe that we are all neighbors on planet Earth. Our Kenyan neighbors may be right next door if you live in Africa, a few blocks away if you live in Europe or Asia, and several blocks away if you live in the Americas. But the fact remains:
The Story Behind the Logo
Our logo was designed by the internationally acclaimed Kenyan sculptor Gerard Motondi, who lives very near the Foundation’s school for orphans.
Gerard is a graduate of Kenyatta University in International Stone Art, and when he is not traveling the globe, he is a lecturer at Asumbi Teachers Training College. Gerard has a heart for service when it comes to orphaned children.
Mr. Gerard Motondi
Teaching Carving to Children
With Kenya’s President
American Embassy Nairobi
What the Logo Represents
Gerard tells this story about the Neighbor Kwa Jirani Foundation’s logo:
The logo design reflects three human forms next to each other. Why three? This is the African philosophy of support borrowed from the three traditional cooking stones, the three legged elders stool etc. The forms are next to each other hence the feeling of neighborhood.
The Colors of Kenya
The logo has a red cross in its center, denoting the health and human services work done by the Foundation within the communities it serves. The logo is also in the shape of a pencil, with a black point representing education as the foundation for supporting underprivileged members of the community. The Foundation helps these marginalized members discover their talents and unleash their potential for a better life through education.
Lastly, the three colors of the logo come from the colors of the Kenyan flag. The color green represents the landscape and natural wealth of Kenya. The color black symbolizes the Kenyan people. The color red represents the bloodshed as the country fought for its independence.