Where It All Began

Nyikal was born from a legacy of resilience, service, and an unwavering belief that communities can transform their own future.

Long before Nyikal existed, my grandparents believed that education and hard work could change lives. My grandmother, known as Mama Bidii, and our grandfather, Shadrack Owuor, used farming  not only to provide for their family but to educate their Son (my Father) and invest in their community. Their commitment to progress contributed to the establishment of Karabondi Bidii Secondary School, creating opportunities for generations that followed.

That legacy continued through my parents. My mother, fondly known as Min Oganda—"Mother to a Multitude"—dedicated her life to mentoring women, promoting financial literacy, and mobilizing communities. Together with my father, they opened their home, their hearts, and their resources to help many young people access education and build better futures.

Growing up, I learned that real leadership begins with serving others and that lasting change comes from equipping people with knowledge, confidence, and opportunity.

As we spent more time in the fishing communities of Homa Bay, we witnessed the devastating effects of Jaboya—the exploitative practice of exchanging sex for fish. Too many girls left school early. Too many young women lost opportunities before they had the chance to pursue them. Poverty, inequality, and harmful norms continued to trap families in cycles that repeated from one generation to the next.

It became clear that breaking this cycle required more than responding to the problem—it required preventing it.

That realization became the foundation of Nyikal.

We asked ourselves:

What if children grew up believing in their worth before the world told them otherwise?

What if girls developed confidence, leadership, and purpose before they became vulnerable to exploitation?

Those questions shaped our work today.

Through Big Light, we nurture confident young learners by helping children build strong foundations in identity, creativity, literacy, and lifelong learning.

Through Mikach Ruoth (Queens Anchored in Identity), we equip adolescent girls with the confidence, leadership, and life skills they need to make informed choices and lead purposeful lives.

Our vision is simple:

To raise a generation that knows its value, believes in its potential, and creates opportunity through knowledge, creativity, and hard work—not through exploitation.

Our guiding belief remains the same today as it was generations ago:

"Mich Wa Nie Lwet Wa, Ok Dend Wa."

"Our gift is in our hands, not our bodies."

This is more than our motto.

It is the future we are building—one child, one girl, and one community at a time.