An Immaculate Conception:

Sister Ellah asked a question which lay burdensome on her heart. 

‘When we can’t see a way through to get the things God has laid on our hearts…what should we do…?’

A question which lay silent but present on the hearts of many was out. What do we do when with all Godly desire, though patiently walking in obedience…we want to preach but it seems as though there is no preach in sight. We want to sing unto the Lord, but sing seems to flea away?

The Bishop of Emmanu’-EL Apostolic Church exhorted the brethren to cherish and utilise their God given gifts, doing all unto God and to the best of their ability. The word of the Lord came through the Bishop encouraging believers to always bring their petitions to God.

As ever, our axiomatic God manifested his glory through demonstration. Saints were led to declare what they wanted – their heart’s desire. Believing that ‘faith is the substance of things hoped for’ and ‘the evidence of things not seen’  (Hebrews 11.1) the prophet of the Lord spoke a word. Knowing that the word of a prophet shall never return to her void, but that once it has gone forth, it must and shall accomplish all that it has been dispatched to fulfil. 

The word ‘EL-Kind Trust’ became flesh.

The Founder:

Ellah Ndaizivei Kandi is a dynamic, qualified Social Worker, who possesses an immeasurable level of affection and care for children and a heart for orphans. Her heart’s desire from childhood had always been to help and empower the vulnerable or less fortunate; whether this meant our fellow brothers and sisters on this planet who have suffered through the pangs of war, disease, famine or any other detriment, Ellah always believed there was hope.     

This vision was inspired by her experiences when she was a child. At the tender age of nine when her beautiful mother was snatched away from her by death. The taste of loss was so great and bitter it became an internal impetus in her life.  Raised by a loving father, Mr Elisha Kandi, Ellah was blessed with awe striking resilience and a fire that could not be put out. Elisha – a Hebrew name which translates ‘to whom God is salvation’ – was a man who much like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was full of compassion, love and integrity. He took on the role of both mother and father and by witnessing his unerring strength in overcoming and determination to excel; Ellah also became determined to overcome all challenges and kept the fire burning. 

Mr Elisha Kandi, Ellah’s father had five children to take care of and as a single parent he had to make all provisions for the family. The safety and security that he gave his children surpassed any material wealth that they could enjoy. As a result Sister Ellah said in her heart, like Ruth said to Naomi, ‘wherever you dwell, there will I dwell’ and clave to her father.

As time progressed Ellah was looked after by her Aunt Charity, who then welcomed her into her family. Ellah was shown love and kindness which gave her further insight into what it meant to love without partiality. This love wrapped in God’s love, has made Ellah who she is today.

Striking the Match: 

Upon an excursion one evening, Ellah met a lady from New Zealand. They talked and exchanged words of greeting, briefly shared their life’s works and aspirations.  The stranger carried out missionary work, visiting countries to provide practical humanitarian aid.  Ellah shared her dream of setting up a trust to work with orphans…to which the lady candidly replied… “So what are you waiting for?”  The short stark truth shot straight like an arrow. Having had this vision for a long time, she decided that now is the time to fulfil it so that the vision must not be delayed. As the saying goes, ‘there is no better time than the present.’ 

A Heavenly 40th Birthday Gift – The ‘Launch of EL-Kind’ January 31^st 2021 :

The EL-Kind Trust has been a dream of Sister Ellah Kandi for over a decade and on her 40th Birthday this dream came to fruition. Selflessly, Ellah dedicated her birthday to manifesting EL-Kind to the world. Commemorating children who were not as fortunate as herself, of whom importunity exists on a vast scale. Children that have neither mother nor father to provide them with the care that they need. On the virtual platform of Zoom before an international audience, while viewers were still in lockdown and experiencing hardships of their own, Ellah courageously put the plights of others before our eyes. This day marked a celebration of her life, the life of others, and life as a whole. Spectators left with a wakeup call to the necessity of being thankful for what we are blessed with; an awareness and new found sense of responsibility for our fellow man.

The Mission: 

Children who suffer despair, disappointment and dismay due to no fault of their own are the target for this trust. Due to the numerous cases and causes of orphaned children in countries like Zimbabwe where children are left orphaned because their beloved parents were taken not only by the wretched HIV/AIDS but by many other premature means; EL-Kind’s outreach has widened its focal areas for support covering all orphans but with a particular continue to pinpoint HIV/AIDS victims. As a visionary, Ellah’s dream is to see the pain dissipate from the eyes of these children and for them to know that their circumstances do not determine the permanent course of their life. Also and more importantly, there is hope in a world that sometimes seems so dark.

EL-Kind is the place where orphans across the globe in countries such as Jamaica, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe are receiving the love and support that they need to thrive; and in thriving, they will see that there are opportunities that are available for them. Coupled with hard work and determination they will realise that there is no limit to what they can achieve. Children need love to thrive and grow. Knowing that there are people who care propels them and encourages them to have dreams of their own. 

The Cause:

The awareness of HIV/AIDS and those affected or infected was further widened whilst studying at God’s university, her Bsc (Hons) in Social Work undergraduate degree. As a part of her latter assessment, she conducted qualitative research on HIV. Ellah did not want to leave this study on paper, thus further igniting her childhood passion of looking after orphaned children.

The term ‘orphan’ bears varied connotations which are constantly changing as the situations in our world today change.  One such definition that most are acquainted with, is that an orphan is, ‘a child between 0 and 18 years of age who has lost one or both parents through death’. However, as there has been an increase of wars and conflicts, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics, poverty and mass migration resulting in children being separated from loved ones, the term has conceptualised in a new way. 

The concept of the social orphanhood, is now inclusive of children with at least one parent alive who fails to live up to his/her parental responsibilities. According to UNICEF, nearly 10,000 children become orphans every day. Internationally accepted figures have revealed that at least 140 million orphans are in the world. Nevertheless, considering evidence that shows that there are millions more orphans who are not included in the statistics, the possibilities exist that the numbers surmount the amount reported. 

UNICEF (2020) has elucidates that because of the conflicts, wars and all other tragedies that have rocked the foundations of our world in recent years, the number of orphans is increasing devastatingly. Approximately 2.2 billion of the world’s population of 7.7 billion are children, children who are constantly exposed and in so many cases are susceptible to harmful circumstances daily. Furthermore, out of an estimated 140 million orphans having lost both parents in the world today: 52 million of these live in Africa, 10 million in Latin America and 7.3 million in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Nonetheless, although Ellah’s desire is that the scope of El- Kind spreads to countries worldwide, her current starting points are in Zimbabwe and Jamaica respectively. In both Zimbabwe and Jamaica and as well as worldwide, we are faced with another type of pandemic; many orphans are rejected by their extended families because of poverty and as a result of this poverty they risk being sent out to steal, be exploited or practice prostitution. Some of these children are also denied access to basic education, proper healthcare and nutrition. In Zimbabwe, although the strongly rooted African tradition of caring for orphans within the extended family is well preserved – with over 98% (2004) having found refuge with their families – extreme poverty and the continuous demise of others to disease have caused added pressures to extended families.

The Steps of a righteous man are ordered by God:

EL-Kind is on a mission, a mission to make a painful situation more bearable, a mission to show children that circumstances do not determine their future, a mission to eliminate stereotypes, stigma and fallacies regarding children whose parents were taken or infected by HIV/AIDS. EL- Kind is making incremental steps in to history. 

EL-Kind, having sourced land for a complex where a home will be provided for the children in Zimbabwe will be using a family based model in providing support for these children.  

We have also employed other platforms, including a ‘GoFundMe’ page through which the goals of the trust are made known and members of the public are encouraged to be sponsors and donate to the trust.

Scan the QR code to access the EL-Kind ‘GoFundMe’ page.

Finally, but definitely not conclusively, EL-Kind will enlighten children’s understanding and instil principles that will foster an innate determination to succeed. They will be motivated to achieve when all the odds are against them, being made aware of a plethora of notable figures in world history who had neither mother nor father; people who served humanity in leading positions, like Politicians, Scientists, Pioneers, Ambassadors and Entrepreneurs.     

Tell me what do you think the following have in common? South African President Nelson Mandela, U.S Presidents Herbert Hoover and Andrew Jackson; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; great classical philosopher Aristotle; influential musicians and singers Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles; scientist George Washington Carver; entrepreneur Steve Jobs; and the greatest revolutionary Moses (to name only few).  Yes, that is right! They were all orphaned at pivotal stages of their lives.

EL-Kind is “one of a kind”, as it continues to take steps forward in its outreach initiatives, it endeavours to ensure the safety of children, particularly those who are orphaned or abandoned and to provide that environment in which they can bloom being psychologically and emotionally secure. It seeks to be kind, and to show the love of God through non-exploitative acts of kindness believing wholeheartedly that by this “shall all men know that [we are God’s] disciples” (John 13:35)

Success Stories:

• In its infancy stage, EL- Kind has already fulfilled its first missions. Supplying children with school uniforms, stationery, and educational resources. The trust endeavoured to reach as many underserved schools as possible and offered relief to a Zimbabwean school in its first year.
• EL-Kind has resourced projectors, DVDs and stationery from the CCT (Christian Conference Trust) donating these to Mount Pleasant School in Jamaica along with books.
• The EL-Kind(ness) continued at Mount Pleasant, Jamaica. The aftermath of the pandemic spelled disaster to many sectors across the world. It threatened the education system worldwide which however,  through great resilience and a stream of Godly wisdom, turned the use of technology into an access tool for virtual lessons. Following on from the resources previously donated, EL- Kind purchased airtime to keep lessons streaming and enable students to learn virtually during ‘lockdown’.
• Large white boards have been collected from local a Leicester school and await shipping to EL-Kind partner schools with further supplies to facilitate independence. 

Upcoming Projects: 

EL-Kind continues to finance, source, fund and support all of its partnering schools and their communities in anyway it can. 

• In 2022 we are fundraising to do more research which will help us identify the needs of orphans. Some orphans do not even have a birth certificate, and with support EL-Kind will fund the process of the orphans becoming citizens of these participatory countries.

• The most recent appeal for help, from Lukanyiso Primary School, in Mpopoma, Bulawayo in the Bread Basket of Africa, Zimbabwe. In a very moving email, the primary school’s headteacher Mr Aaron Mhango, provided an extensive list of orphans in his school and the donations that they need in order for the school to function effectively. Due to EL-Kind’s director, Ellah Kandi’s, bowels of compassion,  she answered the call just like Apostle Paul obeyed the Holy Ghost, and went over to Macedonia straightway. Unbeknownst to the organisers and after accepting the mission, it came to light that two of the schools former pupils, attended the EL-Kind’s affiliated Emmanu’EL Apostolic Church – our beloved brethren the Gapara siblings, Pastor Samuel and Prophet Naome. – God truly works in mysterious ways! 

Subsequently, she has agreed for the Trust to support Lukanyiso Primary School with immediate effect and EL-Kind are thus requesting for your hearty support towards this godly and worthy cause. Examples of the intervention and resources urgently required include: tuition fees, school uniforms, text books, exercise books, pens, pencils and other school stationery. Mr Mhango also stated how donations of new or used tablets, laptops and desktop computers will be very beneficial to the learners personal and academic development. 

• Although to date, Kenya is currently in the process of registration with EL -Kind, EL-Kind saw an immediate need to feed the school children in the local village of Webuye and will offer immediate relief by establishing a Breakfast Club to feed children before school starts. In accordance to its mission to better the futures of others, these meals will improve child nutrition, mental and physical health enabling children to study better and thrive in their education.

• The primary school in the local village of Webuye, Kenya is also in need of clean water which is next on the agenda for EL-Kind in Kenya. One of our Trustees Mary Mbogo will be visiting the village this year to identify the level of need and organise strategic plans going forward. 
• The Tool of Gospel Music 
• Music often deemed the universal language of love, holds a pivotal position within the trust; and is at the nucleus of the work that we do. This passion led to the composition and epic release of EL-Kind’s own first single, ‘Suffer Little Children.’ On the 1^st March 2021 with backing from members of the EAGA Gospel Choir, the song brought a sound to the cause. The Emmanu’-EL Apostolic Gospel Academy Choir (EAGA Choir) an international community choir who, with their musical abilities, assisted with the release of the single to broaden outreach. 
• When Jesus Christ himself said “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 it brings to remembrance the treasure that lies in the earthen vessels of our little ones. The Christ said we must “be converted and become as little children,” – further signifying the insurmountable measure of their importance. 
• With is insatiable rhythm and hard-hitting beat…the song takes listeners on a journey of victory. It alludes to the lives and challenges of orphans and encourages them with lines such as “wiping the tears from their eyes”, and even though they have “no control over their future…EL-Kind will restore their joy”. The universal language of music speaks volumes here and propels every heart of compassion to reach out and make a difference in the lives on of these little ones. It is a must. The future of our world depends upon it.