About Us
Touch The Nations work began in 1999 and was officially founded in 2004 by Katja Starkey, with a deep passion for empowering vulnerable communities around the world. Before launching the organization, Katja was a teacher and has spent 17 years as a professional middle school educator, shaping young minds with wisdom and compassion.
In June of 1999, after five years of teaching sixth grade in the inner city, Katja began traveling abroad to serve communities in crisis. Over the course of 12 months, she volunteered in 12 countries, responding to natural disasters, oppression, and war zones. For the next three years, she continued traveling part-time—substitute teaching when home—and ultimately served in 38 countries within four years.
Her firsthand experiences witnessing both unimaginable suffering and profound resilience shaped the mission of Touch the Nations: to bring tangible hope through education, clean water, children’s homes, microloans, and sustainable community development.
Unable to forget the people she met and the enormous needs she saw, Katja founded Touch the Nations to connect the world at home with the world abroad—sharing awareness, resources, and hope.
Under her leadership, Touch the Nations has expanded its impact across Africa—supporting children’s homes, building schools, digging wells, and investing in self-sufficiency projects that create lasting change.
Katja is married to her husband, Jonathan, and together they have three children—Gadisa, Kiya, and Kaleb—who share their parents’ love for adventure, service, and faith.
Their family’s life reflects the heartbeat of Touch the Nations: building stability, community, and hope for generations to come.
Local Leaders
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Samuel Menyongar
Liberia and Sierra Leone Leader
Samuel Menyongar leads Touch the Nations’ efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone, bringing education, clean water, and opportunity to vulnerable communities.
A survivor of Liberia’s civil war, Samuel fled on foot with his 12 year old brother, crossing into Sierra Leone after a harrowing 32-day journey. His lifelong dream—to return and build a school in his homeland—has come true with the new school in Monrovia.
Samuel also oversees Bonnie Memorial Children’s Home (House of Love) in the capital city of Freetown and House of Hope in the countryside where his team mentors and cares for dozens of children with hope, resilience, and a father’s heart.
He has also managed the digging and upkeep of 25 wells.
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Suzanne “Mama Bread”
Burundi Leader
Suzanne has been a faithful leader with Touch the Nations, serving vulnerable communities across Africa. She was lovingly nicknamed “Mama Bread” by the children she began feeding in the aftermath of devastating civil wars that left the country deeply fractured.
She started Bwiza Home in Burundi, a refuge for children once living on the streets, and empowers women through sewing and business training in other areas.
Suzanne’s decades of compassion and leadership continue to bring hope, education, and opportunity to those who need it most.
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Abebe and Abonesh
Ethiopian Leaders
The leaders of Joseph House in Ethiopia provide a loving, stable home for 25 children, caring for them with dedication and joy.
Infants entrusted to their care are nurtured until they are adopted by Ethiopian families.
With devoted coordinators and a dedicated team of nannies and staff overseeing their health, happiness, and education, Joseph House offers each child a foundation of hope, belonging, and opportunity.
Countries Where We Serve
Sierra Leone
Touch the Nations has been working in Sierra Leone since 2001, partnering closely with local leader Samuel Menyongar. In the aftermath of civil war and the widespread amputations of 10,000 civilians, efforts began by supporting amputee communities with education, microloans, and school furnishings. Over the years, the work expanded to include digging wells, building schools, and operating children's homes like the Bonnie Memorial Children’s Home and House of Hope in the countryside. Recent projects include a village school (Mauer Academy) and the construction of a multi-purpose building, in the capital city of Freetown, to relieve school overcrowding and train community leaders.
Burundi
Touch the Nations began its work in Burundi in 1999, when founder Katja Starkey visited the country and met key local leaders serving the most vulnerable in their communities. In the wake of genocide, Touch the Nations partnered with local leaders to transform a building into a children’s home—a safe haven offering shelter, education, and life skills training for orphans and widows. Over the years, support has included roofing materials for homes built by genocide survivors and microloans to help widows launch small businesses and regain stability. Today, youth from Bwiza Home are thriving—pursuing education and vocational training—as a testament to the enduring impact of community care and empowerment.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, Touch the Nations supports Joseph House, where 25 children are lovingly cared for, including infants who are nurtured until they are adopted by Ethiopian families. A dedicated coordinator ensures a high standard of care, promoting the health, happiness, and development of each child. Success stories include youth pursuing vocational training and educational opportunities outside the home. In February 2025, founder Katja Starkey and her daughter Kiya visited to further strengthen this mission.
Liberia
Touch the Nations expanded into Liberia in 2015, partnering with Samuel Menyongar and his team. Initial projects included well-digging and scholarship programs. Today, work is focused on completing a new elementary school in Monrovia—fulfilling Samuel’s lifelong dream of strengthening his home community through education. Future long range plans include adding a high school and soccer field to the site. Latrine improvements and clean water initiatives have also been a key part of the effort to create healthier, sustainable communities.
Rwanda
In Rwanda, where orphanages are no longer allowed and vulnerable families face hard choices, Touch the Nations is keeping mothers and children together through practical support and vocational training. We support a center that equips former prostitutes, widows, and single mothers with sewing and business skills to build sustainable livelihoods. With dignity restored and hope renewed, women are supporting their families and changing the trajectory of entire communities—one stitch, one sale, one story at a time.
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