Our Team
Meet the People Behind Our Mission
Annie Coppedge
Annie Coppedge Karuiki
Missionary/Neema House
Annie grew up in Marietta, GA and attended the University of Georgia where she obtained a degree in Child and Family Development with an emphasis in Child Life. Her emphasis in Child Life included one year spent at the Medical College of Georgia interning at their children's hospital. She also went on to attend school at Atlanta Technical College to become an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician.
She first visited Kenya in 2007 and immediately fell in love with the warm and gracious people there. Upon finishing school in 2012, she was able to become a missionary for Project 82 Kenya and promptly moved over to Kenya to help set up Neema House Infant Rescue Centre, a transitional home which cares for babies who have been abandoned or are in need of care and protection. She is incredibly honored to work amongst an amazing team who puts the best interest of children first, day after day.
Annie is married to Josh Karuiki. They now have four beautiful children. Annie considers Kenya her permanent home and is hopeful to spend many more years there.
Favorite part of the job: Seeing babies and young children leave Neema House to go back to their biological families whenever possible, and if not--adopted into local Kenyan families. Also, seeing children who were at risk of removal from family able to stay in their families as we come alongside of them in support and encouragement.
Elly Kimani
Elly Kimani
Operations Manager
Elly grew up in the central part of Kenya. She has a degree in social work from University of Nairobi and a masters in Project management from Jomo Kenyatta University of science and technology (JKUAT). Her passion to work with children was nurtured early on in her life as a Sunday school teacher since her late teen years. As a student at the university, her attachment placement was at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya and later on at a Compassion International Project in Mathare. Working in those two places, the calling to serve the vulnerable was evident.
When the opportunity to serve in Project 82 came in April 2012, she gladly accepted and has never looked back. At Projects 82 she has served in different capacities ranging from social worker to home manager.
She is grateful to be part of a team God is using to raise up vulnerable children so that they can reach the purposes they were created for. She counts it a privilege to serve alongside a wonderful team that advocates for the rights of children so passionately. For Elly, seeing families reunited and children going home to their forever families is an indescribable joy.
Elly is married to Paul Muchiru and together they have three children.
“Not to us but to God be the glory!”
Rhoda Akech
Rhoda Akech
Molo Community Child Advocate
Rhoda, mother to five wonderful children is honored to be serving Kenya’s vulnerable children in two of our locations, Nanyuki and Molo. She has worked with children all her professional life, a desire that blossomed from a simple visit, at an early age, to her late maternal grandmother’s home in Bondo, Siaya County. Rhoda observed that her aged grandmother would work for hours on end to fend for her grandchildren (many of whom were affected by HIV/Aids), and she noticed the children were perfectly happy knowing that she would always be there watching over them. She could see their struggles at each visit prompting her to share some of her little savings to help her grandmother cater for some of the family’s needs. She made a prayer commitment in her heart that would, after a few years, be a part of her testimony.
That prayer took a deeper meaning when she got married to Jectone Oyugi, who was also caring for orphaned children. Jectone had taken up the family responsibility at a tender age when he became the head of his larger family unit after losing both his parents and all his older brothers. Rhoda embraced the family as her own; serving alongside her husband to nurture it.
Serving in Project 82 continues to give her the joy of seeing both the children in the program and their families remaining close knit and thriving together as a unit for posterity. She is thankful that Project 82 works tirelessly to ensure that each child in care experiences loving and working relationships in a family setting.
Brandon Dasinger
Brandon Dasinger
Executive Director
Brandon felt the call to ministry when he was 18 years old and he has been serving in the church ever since. As a life-long learner, he has received a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degrees from Asbury Theological Seminary. Brandon has been married to his wife Kelli for 18 years and they have three children, Kenzie, Caleb, and Zendaya. As both foster and adoptive parents, they have a passion for serving the vulnerable and a desire to mobilize the church in impacting the lives of others. Brandon gets to live into this passion by being a pastor at Saint Peter and Said Paul Episcopal Church in Marietta, Georgia and by serving as the Executive Director of Project 82 Kenya.
Francis Gitau
Francis Gitau
Finance and Administrative Manager
Francis is a dedicated and experienced individual hailing from Nakuru, Rift Valley, Kenya, where he was born and raised. With a passion for empowering communities, particularly children, he pursued higher education at the prestigious University of Nairobi, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in project planning and management. This educational background has equipped him with a robust understanding of strategic planning, resource allocation, and effective project execution, skills vital for making a tangible impact in the field of our children’s ministry.
In addition to his academic achievements, Francis holds esteemed certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA). These certifications reflect his commitment to professional excellence and his ability to navigate financial complexities efficiently. With a solid foundation in project management coupled with financial expertise, he brings a unique blend of skills to the leadership team, ensuring the effective management and sustainable growth of the children's ministry in Kenya.
His favorite part of serving at Project 82 Kenya is the opportunity to blend his financial expertise with a heartfelt commitment to nurturing the next generation. Witnessing the tangible impact of sound financial management on the programs and initiatives that directly benefit young children and adolescents is incredibly rewarding. Whether its ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to support educational programs, providing access to essential resources for underprivileged children, or facilitating transformative experiences through youth events and outreach activities, He find great fulfillment in knowing that his role directly contributes to the holistic growth and development of young individuals.
Kenya Support Staff
We have an amazing team of social workers, case workers, nurses, foster parents, house moms, and counselors who work together to care for our children and empower families.
Ministry Support
Rebecca Bright
Administrative Assistant
Our Board
Ferrell Coppedge
Scott Mosteller
Mark Phillips
Rev. Andy Rogers
Leon Monroe
Stan Hodges Jr.
Beth Sappington
Ben Hornsby
Denise Ivey
Donna Fitzmaurice
Maggie Thompson
Jan Stevens
Mark Smith
Mike Kelly
Dr. Brandon Dasinger
Libby Coppedge (at-large)
Dr. Jody Ray (at-large)
You have the power to change these children's lives.
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