In September of 2007, Ed Colina left his home in Kentucky and volunteered for Nyumbani Village in Kitui Kenya. It was working with this organization that Ed saw the need present in Kenya and began his own organization, Journey: The Ed Colina Foundation.
The Foundation is supported by a Board of Directors, is a 501(c)3 Public Charity and is incorporated in the state of Kentucky.
In the early days of the Foundation, the organization established eleven small preschools that were positioned adjacent to Masai manyattas and in centralized urban locations. Thousands of preschoolers were given the opportunity of attending school, some for the first time. At each location, food was served in the morning and at lunch time. The Foundation created and mentored local school committees and, after 3-5 years, phased out their financial support of all but two schools. This left the schools to local leadership and local funding. Those classrooms continue today.
To support the work of the foundation, sustainability Income Generating Activities (IGA) in Kenya were created. The Ed Colina Foundation manages a four-acre farm and a large chicken operation. The Foundation also sells African jewelry and cultural items back home in the States.
The organization does not receive funding from the US or Kenyan governments. The Foundation is funded by individual donors and local school fundraising in the US.