Michelle Stark's fascination with Kenya began with her father's photography.
But the African safari pictures told only part of the story.
"I never saw photos of the school children," Stark said.
The Homewood artist met the students when her father planned his 70th birthday celebration in Kenya.
Since that trip in 2005, Stark has been devoting her free moments to Matanya's Hope, the nonprofit she founded to provide scholarships for poverty-stricken children.
"My goal from Kenya was to use the children and animals for inspiration," said Stark, whose work is on display at area galleries.
"But the children need a lot more than my paintings. They have brilliant minds and they must cut their ties with education. If they don't have a sponsor, there's no hope."
Stark talks about her visit to the Matanya school as if it happened yesterday.
"All the students were sitting outside the school on the ground," she said.
"That is their auditorium. It's also their playground and anything else if they're meeting in a group."
A walk through the rural school proved even more bleak.
The primitive classrooms had drafty walls, earthen floors and no electricity or running water.
Worse yet, one of the top students could not continue her education because her parents could not afford the $10 uniform.
Stark did not handle the news well.
"My eyes got so big, I didn't move my head," she said. "I knew if I moved the tears were so big they'd start falling down my face."
Stark's sister tried to comfort her by saying, "It's OK."
"It's not OK. It's not OK. Nothing is OK about this," Stark said as her tears began to fall.
"No one should not go to school because of a uniform."
Stark decided to fund the girl's education on the spot. Three other touring families followed her lead.
But Stark's commitment did not stop with tuition for a single child.
When she returned to Homewood, she emptied her closets and sent clothing and shoes to East Africa.
Stark works into the wee hours of the morning sorting donated clothes and supplies for the children.
"They share their packages because there is not enough for 250 students at any given shipment," Stark said.
As cries for help continued to come from afar, Stark realized she could not meet the growing needs on her own.
"The Kenyan government provides free schooling up through eighth grade," she said.
"After that, it's $250 for day school plus $100 for supplies or $450 for boarding school plus supplies. And our children's families make less than $1 a day in wages."
With help from family and friends, Stark developed a mission statement and founded Matanya's Hope.
"The crux of our program is to get the kids off to secondary education and send them to college to live their dreams," Stark said.
"The only thing we ask of them is to give back to their community and continue what we started."
Kate Buckner, of Monee, got involved with the charity after hearing Stark's story.
"When you sit with Michelle and talk to her about this, you can't help but get emotional and cry," she said.
Buckner also could not help but get involved.
She serves on the board and helps with fundraising and marketing, and her husband, Steve, created the Web site and handles the technical work.
The Buckners also drum up sponsorships and donations.
"We've sent lots of shoes to Matanya," Buckner said. "Most of these kids have shoes now and they're happier and hopeful."
Stark is a Philadelphia native who moved to the South Suburbs as a teen and graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor.
After earning a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Bradley University, she worked in Chicago as a clothing designer.
In the 1990s, Stark transitioned into jewelry design and opened Diamonds Etc.
She began to seek a more spiritual path in 2000.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to help people," she said.
So she became a certified massage therapist.
Her passion for helping others escalated in Matanya.
"No one who knows me can escape knowing what I do," Stark said.
"God appointed me as a guardian for these children and he did not want me to be quiet about it.
"These kids need me to talk. If I don't talk, no one will know about them. Their hopes and dreams are in my hands, and I don't take that lightly."
Matanya's Hope currently sponsors 17 children, most of whom speak three languages.
Stark, who has a teenage son of her own, corresponds with 50 African students who diligently write her back in English.
Her small garage is loaded with 150 boxes of donations, including windup flashlights for children to study at home.
"Shipping runs anywhere from $53 to $127," she said.
Until the funds are acquired for shipping, the boxes will stay in the United States.
Stark's parents, Andrea and Art, of Flossmoor, are board members who play active roles in the foundation.
Andrea coordinates a fleece blanket project and Art oversees the drip irrigation program for farmers plagued by drought.
"Their starvation, death and disease is all caused by something we can help with," Stark said of those assisted by Matanya's Hope.
Stark is planning her first summer mission trip for 2008.
"To go back now means to go back and do work, and I haven't found anyone to help," she said.
So the search goes on for volunteers and contributors.
"People often ask me, 'What do you think you can do, change the world?' " Stark said.
" 'Not by doing nothing,' I tell them. But one child at a time, you bet I can."
Rena Fulka may be reached at rfulka@starnewspapers.comor (708) 802-8829.
Find out more information about Matanya's Hope at(708) 822-HOPE and matanyashope.org.
