Founder - Kenya NCD Resource and Support Center
Amonje Moses Oluchiri
From Grief to Purpose
"Your last breath breathed a new purpose into me... and from that moment, a new vision was born."
On April 19, 2024, I spoke to my mother, Mary Lavoga Amonje. She was her usual cheerful, strong self. Just a few days later, on the 23rd, she was hospitalized, and by the morning of the 25th, she had taken her final breath. Her passing was sudden, but her journey with illness had spanned years. She had quietly lived with hypertension – an invisible yet powerful burden that affects many Kenyan families.
My father, Jason Oluchiri Amonje, had also passed away due to complications linked to a non-communicable disease. Both of my parents were affected by conditions that, with the right systems and support, could have been better managed – perhaps even prevented from taking their lives.
My mother was more than a parent. She was my anchor—a pillar of love, motivation, and prayer. She lived for others, gave selflessly, and endured quietly. Her strength was profound. In her honor, and in memory of both my parents, I made a promise: their deaths would not be in vain.
In the days that followed, grief gave way to resolve. A vision began to form—one rooted in community dignity, local empowerment, and the belief that no one should face the weight of non-communicable diseases alone. That vision became the Kenya NCD Resource and Support Center.
Why the Center Exists
"Your death will not be in vain. Through this work, many lives will be sustained, saved, and preserved."
This Center was born out of loss— but it lives to serve. It exists to honor not only my mother’s life, but also the lives of thousands of others silently enduring the weight of non-communicable diseases across Kenya.
"You were my anchor. Now, through this Center, your spirit anchors something greater—for others, for the country, for change."
The Center will not be a typical institution. It will be a dignified space—one that supports the patient, the caregiver, the family, and the community. A place where knowledge meets empathy, and where wellness is not reserved for a few, but made accessible to all. From physical activity to psychosocial support, from clinical guidance to community connection—this will be a Center grounded in people and purpose.
"It is our response to a national challenge. And it is personal."