The origin of Stara dates back to 1997, When Feed the Children (Kenya) began a micro credit finance scheme in Kibera and commenced working with us. In the beginning the group had 30 members and by the end of 1999, the group had lost some of its members and their children remained behind as orphans. We approached the group to see whether we could feed the children but it was found to be difficult and some of them withdrew, hence we were left with three women and took the initiative. We rented a small single room in which we fed and educated the children and later they returned back to their guardians.

We leased a piece of land from Kenya Railways and construction began of a temporary structure of two classrooms which now grew to what it is today. We started with six children and discovered that there were other similar cases around the community. The group then approached Feed The Children who acknowledged our efforts and introduced us to a donor (VVK now Childslife). In the year 2002, the number of infected parents and guardians increased calling for the need to start a program that would cater for their partial needs if not all, so the Stara Home Based Care program was born. We feed, counsel them, offer spiritual nourishment as well as refer them to hospital for ARVs. They also received some food rations to carry home.

In November 2004 World Food Program started a feeding program at the school, the number of children increased from 270 to 545 in the following year. The WFP was feeding the children during normal school days and Swiss Stara Association during vacation. Most of the children take their only meal at the school. Currently the school caters for 700 children of whom 30% are orphans, 45% of single parents, 15% neglected and abused, 10% from poor families aged between 3-18 years. We have managed to screen 500 children and 55 were confirmed to be HIV positive, some are referred to centers equipped for such cases, the rest are under medication (ARV) at the center.

As part of the project activities, Stara has a bio- toilet facility which was funded by the Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation and Umande Trust. Running costs are paid from income and surplus goes towards assisting the school in improving the feeding program. The school received computer donations from Fiona Farha Kirubi, the Swiss Development Agency cooperation as well as Elma community grants, Fiona Farha Kirubi also donated food during the month of Ramadhan, Eid, and celebrated her Birthday with the Stara family.

A number of individual donors support with various items from time to time. In 2009 Swiss Association, founded by the Cottier family in Switzerland, started supporting the school. They cater for the day to day running of the school, including payment of all staff wages, breakfast/mid-morning porridge, as well as school infrastructural improvements following a fire due to electrical fault and Kenya Railway demolitions. They also have plans in improving
school facilities further and incorporate a Hostel for girls (initially 25 most neglected). Their vision is to find solutions for those children that are not able to get into secondary schools, either through a bursary scheme or vocational training. Stara Peace Women Organization has 4 key programmes running but with limited resources.