Meet Momma Amondi

Hi all! I'm Tillie Oatman, Arilyn's mom and Co-founder of Amondi's Avengers!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for joining our cause. When Amondi was in Kenya she would call with so many amazing stories. I could see her wheels turning from the moment she met these amazing kids. I KNEW she would come home with a project. I cant say I'm surprised by the size of it!

A little bit of my history

I am a Paramedic by training and trade and worked in EMS for the better part of 2 decades. And I can say that I have done what I love all over this planet. I've working in Iraq, Afghanistan and Western Africa( Equatorial Guinea to be exact). I love to meet new people and learn about cultures, traditions and religions. I have seen the poverty in many of the places I have worked and have always wanted to find a way to help. I mean, I have dedicated my life to caring for others in their darkest hours.

A plan is born!!!

So when she started telling me the stories of her students, how some had no shoestrings, or holes in their socks. How they had to share desks. And how some kids even shared a single notebook or pencil! How families were sacrificing food and meals so that they could pay school fees for their children. My heart broke:( Anyone that knows me will tell you , I can not stand to hear that someone is hungry. Despite all of these struggles, they came to school every day, ready and eager to learn. I knew we needed to do something. So we gathered some money and she got the first donations of supplies, but it felt like a drop in the bucket. Thus a much larger plan was born! We reached out to friends and family who offered some additional donations and more supplies were purchased. But still not even close to enough.

She came home and we began the ultimate project planning! And so Amondi's Avengers came to be.

With your help, we can reach so many more students and families. We can ensure that students have the supplies they need to be successful. Families can stop worrying about school fees and supplies and focus on feeding their family. Children won't feel left out in the classroom because they lack the items and tools to participate.

So, that is just a little bit about me and how I landed in the co-pilot seat of this grand ride.

Thank you for helping us, help them and becoming one of Amondi's Avengers!

Stay tuned for more stories of our journey!

Love, Momma Amondi