The Hope Raisers: How a Group of Young Kenyans Fought to Transform Their Slum and Inspire a Community

by Nihar Suthar author of The Hope Raiser

Overview

The poignant and inspiring true story of three young Kenyans who fought to transform their slum and improve the lives of those around them.

Korogocho is one of Kenya’s darkest slums, plagued by gang violence, food and water shortages, and rampant pollution. Most children have no future except for scavenging through trash piles or resorting to lives of crime. One day, a boy named Daniel Onyango decided to do more, creating a band called the Hope Raisers to inspire the kids of Korogocho. His friend, Mutura Kuria, quickly joined in.

In The Hope Raisers: How a Group of Young Kenyans Fought to Transform Their Slum and Inspire a Community, Nihar Suthar tells the amazing story of how Daniel and Mutura turned the band into a platform for change. They started teaching children on the streets how to express themselves through art and established a skating team after finding a pair of rollerblades in the dump. Suthar closely follows the story of one rebellious girl, Lucy Achieng, who refused to get married off at a young age and instead used competitive rollerblading to reach for her dreams. Lucy continues to inspire girls to stand up for themselves and challenge the longstanding practices in Korogocho of early marriage and prostitution.

The Hope Raisers is an eye-opening look into a world of poverty and violence where children receive only a basic education and are left with little to no means to get out. Yet it also reveals the remarkable impact that a few determined individuals can have on their community, even in the most challenging of conditions.

Part of the proceeds from all book sales will be donated to the Hope Raisers and toward improving the slum of Korogocho.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538168745
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/15/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	194
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Nihar Suthar is an author who covers inspirational stories around the world. He is the author of Win No Matter What: A Guide to Hyping Up Your Life and The Corridor of Uncertainty: How Cricket Mended a Torn Nation. During the day, he works as a product manager in the tech industry. Suthar has traveled to Kenya several times to visit Daniel, Mutura, and Lucy. He currently calls Tampa home.

Table of Contents

A Glimpse into Korogocho

Chapter 1: Life in the Dump

Chapter 2: Dogs on the Street

Chapter 3: Birth of the Hope Raisers

Chapter 4: The G8 Summit

Chapter 5: A Failed Upgrading Program

Chapter 6: An Unexpected Road

Chapter 7: Fat Women Can Skate Too

Chapter 8: Emergence of a Skating Team

Chapter 9: A Difficult Debut

Chapter 10: Unsustainable Success

Chapter 11: Aspirations Beyond Skating

Chapter 12: Passport to South Africa

Chapter 13: Nyali Beach

Chapter 14: Adventures Across the World

Epilogue: The Hope Raisers Live On

Guide to Korogocho

For Book Clubs and Classrooms

Help Raise More Hope in Korogocho

Bibliography

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

09/26/2022

In this ambitious nonfiction volume, Suthar (The Corridor of Uncertainty) chronicles the adventures of the Hope Raisers, a group of Kenyan teens seeking to uplift their neighborhood through communal enrichment. High school student Daniel Onyango initially set up the Hope Raisers as a music troupe to bring joy to his hometown Korogocho, but he soon realized the impact that creative pursuits can have on social change. When Daniel sees wealthier children rollerblading for the first time, he and his friend Mutura Kuria pool their money to buy a secondhand pair and teach themselves, and other neighborhood children, to skate. Despite economic challenges and a lack of support from their elders, the Hope Raisers eventually enter and begin placing in rollerblading contests, garnering international acclaim. Extended exposition and a focus on Kenyan political corruption occasionally shifts focus away from the Hope Raisers’ mission. Nevertheless, Suthar thoughtfully celebrates the indomitable human spirit by indicating that consistent hard work and persistence pays off, and that “we too are capable of creating change.” Ages 13–up. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

This story portrays the real life, consistent struggle of so many and is an exact representation of the mood of most days in this part of Africa. It's left me motivated to do everything I can to create change and assist in empowering those who need help. This story truly is a deep representation of this side of life.

Mercy Masika

The Hope Raisers not only presents one of the most inspirational life stories you will read, but also it’s written in such an engaging, personalized and eloquent manner that it’s bound to attract the wide, international audience that this extraordinary group of young people deserve.

Blogarama

The Hope Raisers is a deeply uplifting story that needs to be told. Daniel, Mutura, and Lucy’s journeys demonstrate firsthand the magnitude of impact we can create by working together, strengthening the solidarities among global citizens in the quest for humanity of the planet.

Willy Mutunga

With particular value to young readers ages 13-18 who have an interest in such social issues as the poverty, homelessness, and slums of Africa, America, or anywhere else, The Hope Raisers will prove as fascinating, informative, thought-provoking and ultimately inspiring. A highly recommended addition to middle school, high school, and community library collections.

Midwest Book Review

People who are born in Korogocho work hard to get out and never go back. The Hope Raisers is a story about those who refuse to leave, and remain in Korogocho to fix it. It’s a story about resilience, courage, and most importantly, hope. The Hope Raisers will inspire you to become a change agent. In the grim and dirt of Korogocho, The Hope Raisers restores our faith in humanity. A better world is possible.

Boniface Mwangi

An incredibly inspiring story—you'll stand and cheer for Daniel, Lucy, and all the Hope Raisers!

Steve Sheinkin

The Hope Raisers not only presents one of the most inspirational life stories you will read, but also it’s written in such an engaging, personalized and eloquent manner that it’s bound to attract the wide, international audience that this extraordinary group of young people deserve.

Literature Salon

One of the beauties of the book is that it is an easy read and suitable for young teenagers upwards. It gives insight into how the poorest children living in awful environments achieve the unthinkable. The book is inspirational in that it shows both youngsters and adults that it is possible to achieve ambitions in even the worst situations. The author clearly has a passion for inspiring people around the world to move forward positively and to improve the many aspects of life as we know it. His story of The Hope Raisers is just one of the ways he has done this. He is an author to watch.

Bella Online

An intimate portrait of life on Nairobi's margins—and of a group of youth who dared to create something bigger.

Jonathan W. Rosen

An undeniably compelling story of the incredible power of young people. Nihar Suthar’s book does not only celebrate the Hope Raisers, a group of young Kenyans transforming their community, it inspires all of us who seek to make an impact and contribute to progress in our communities. It is a must-read.

Raphael Obonyo

Suthar’s gift for inspirational storytelling and the courageous visionaries he meets in Korogocho should raise hope in all of us.

Tim Crothers

2022-08-31
Three young Kenyans utilize communal philanthropy to build a brighter future for the next generation.

Life in Korogocho, Kenya’s fourth largest slum, is a struggle. Mutura Kuria’s mother picks trash in a landfill to earn money so he can stay in school. When his friend Daniel Onyango invites him to join his band, the boys soon realize the connection between music and social change. The band, the Hope Raisers, attracts other neighborhood youths, including Lucy Achieng, who dreams of becoming a soccer star. With the help of sympathetic adults, their song about Kenya’s economic plight, inspired by the G8 summit, is posted to YouTube and shared with Italian government officials, garnering much attention. A chance introduction to rollerblading spawns an official skating team. Lucy, who seeks a different path than that dictated by tradition, falls in love with the sport; her passion and discipline make her a role model for girls to feel empowered. The Hope Raisers face challenges, including criticism from elders, but skating becomes a catalyst for lasting change through travel and exposure to life outside Korogocho. Suthar’s storytelling doesn’t sensationalize poverty, and it highlights the value of change that originates within communities. He clearly respects his subjects. The young people’s perseverance is commendable: Their optimism contrasts with the realities of their environment. Cultural and historical information is woven into the narrative, seamlessly providing important context.

An eye-opening account of undeterred resilience and hard-won triumph. (guide to the area, map, discussion questions, website, notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews