Berkley Center

Mary Gakembu is a bishop and founding director of the Bethlehem Community Centre (BCC) located in the Kayole slums of Nairobi, Kenya. BCC encompasses a church, school, and dormitory for the Kayole community. The school is focused on providing educational opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children. Mary has been involved in community work for over 20 years. She co-founded the Mwea Children’s Home in Kirinyaga County, along with the British High Commission, which provides comprehensive care and education to 50 orphans. She has initiated, in partnership with donors, a farming project in Kamulu, Machakos that brings in income to the homes to support a feeding project as well as provide employment for women in the community. She obtained her diploma in theology and was ordained under the Redeemed Gospel Church denomination as a pastor and bishop in 2004.