THE CORNERSTONE PROJECT

The Cornerstone Project was founded by Martine Fairbairn following a chance meeting that would grow into a lifelong partnership and shared mission. Martine met Evalyn Wakhusama when Evalyn was enrolled on scholarship in the Master’s program at Yale Divinity School. Introduced through a mutual friend, the two quickly formed a deep and meaningful friendship rooted in compassion, faith, and service.

From what began as a simple idea grew a powerful vision: to create lasting change for the most vulnerable members of Evalyn’s community in western Kenya. Inspired by Evalyn’s commitment and firsthand understanding of the challenges facing orphaned and marginalized children, Martine made it her mission to help bring that vision to life.

Together with many other like-minded individuals, they laid the foundation for what would become the Nambale Magnet School—a place where children are not only educated but also cared for, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive. Through the creation of a safe home and access to quality education, they set out to do more than help individual children—they set out to change the trajectory of an entire community.

Central to this mission is a commitment to financial and ecological sustainability. By investing in solutions that are both responsible and forward-thinking, The Cornerstone Project works to ensure that its impact is not only meaningful today but also enduring for generations to come.

What began as a friendship has become a lasting commitment to hope, dignity, and sustainable transformation.