Rona Centre
Rona Centre is a rural learning hub focused on sustainable development, offering trauma-aware programming in education, health (including mental health), and agriculture/climate resilience. With the goal of reducing donor dependency by 50% by 2030, the Centre aims to empower communities through long-term, impactful solutions that promote self-sufficiency and resilience.
Established in Wagoma, Siaya County in 2012 under the Rona Foundation, the Rona Centre focuses on supporting widows and orphans, promoting sustainable grass root development, and fostering long-term resilience. Our holistic approach to development addresses the needs of remote gulf villages where services remain scarce.
Sustainability and Growth:
The Centre became a climate-smart learning hub, planting 5,000+ trees and hosting peer learning for 5 schools and 13 organizations. In 2024, it enhanced food security knowledge for 26 staff and began developing the Rona Level III Hospital led by the established 7member committee.
Our achievements include:
Education
Rona School of Excellence serves over 90 children daily, with 10 transitioned and 189 scholars retained by 2024, and has expanded to include a NITA-accredited TVET center offering courses in Hairdressing, Tailoring, and Cosmetology. And ITC courses underway.
Health
The Rona Clinic, established in 2015, provides medical care to lakeshore villages and is expanding into a Level III Hospital with lab services and a 24-bed ward. The clinic and pharmacy serves 50+ patients monthly and is set to expand and launched by 2026.
Agriculture
The Agricultural Hub uses a “seeing is believing” approach to train rural widow farmers, with support from the county government, two greenhouses, and a solar pump. An orchard with 1,000 fruit trees is growing, with plans for grocery stands/market shed and a processing plant by 2026.
Progress
The Founder, Roseline Orwa established the centre at inhabited land in Wagoma village, which she bought with a little support from her brother, then later moved the children from her mother’s house to the centre. The number of orphaned children is still overwhelming. Rona depends on the Founder’s resources, local churches and individuals for the children’s basic needs to date.
- 2012: Rona launches the centre in Wagoma and feeds over 300 orphans, in attendance with community leaders and stakeholders
- 2013: Rona builds the girls and boys dormitory from Roseline’s own savings. And provides a home to 30 children. Later that year, over 150 children in Orengo Primary School receives uniforms, tailored by Rona staff and funded by online fundraising.
- 2014: Rona conducts a 3 day free medical camp with over 3000 patients treated, in partnership with Bondo District Hospital, and funded by individuals, friends of Rona.
- 2015: Rona builds a mini clinic/pharmacy and shop, funded by Tejcheve Foundation, to serve the endless health needs, since the nearby government dispensary is 6kms away in a remote village with no road structure, a nurse (widow) was employed. An ECD school was launched with 18 children, as the nearby school is 3kms away. One teacher was employed.
- 2016: The road network in Wagoma Village is constructed following the continuous lobbying of Rona Foundation amidst resistance from the community. Water and sanitation was implemented with improved toilets. The ECD School gets a face lift funded by Zonta Club, Germany.
- 2017: Rona constructs a ‘volunteer house’ for hosting mission teams, volunteers and staff. The house remains incomplete. The foundation for cottages is also laid, and remain unfinished.
- 2018: Rona sends 13 children to secondary school. And continue to support over 150 orphans, 26 resident in the project. Rona stops weekend feeding due to lack of resources and support.
- 2019: Began garment making section, with support from Modern Widows Club, and admits 8 teen mothers and young widows, sends 8 children to secondary school. Continues to support over 150 orphans – 18 resident in the project. Begins transition to school-based programmes to support orphans.
- 2020: Rona aquires 2 more acres of land to expand the health clinic, sends 40 children to secondary school and technical skills training (tvets). Expands the school to grade two, enrolling 25 new learners in the school.
- 2021: Rona aquires 1.8 more acres of land to expand the school, sends 48 children to secondary school and technical skills training (tvets). Expands the school to grade four, enrolling 47 new learners in the school.
- 2022: Established a complete primary school with five classrooms, enrolling 70 students and employing nine educators.
- 2023: Acquired more land for the school expansion. Evolved into a climate-smart learning center, planting 5000+ trees and diverse flowers. Improved food security through smart agricultural techniques. Commenced the development of Rona Level III Hospital, finalizing drawings for approval. Established a 7-member committee for the health project foundation.
- 2024: Expanded the school into a full primary institution with the addition of three temporary classrooms. Established a well-stocked library with 1,420 donated books. Constructed a new staffroom and secured two fenced parcels of land to support future growth. And repurposed former children’s dormitories into staff quarters for healthcare personnel.
