I’ll never forget the moment Geoffrey joined his first Davis Methods webinar. It was 25 November 2021. At the time, we had no idea that one simple event would plant the seed for something so big. Today, that seed has grown into a vibrant dyslexia education project in Kakamega, Western Kenya.
Although Geoffrey didn’t have a phone or data, he had determination. Thankfully, his community stepped in to help.
A Phone, a Village, and a Webinar
Because the webinar was just 24 hours away, Geoffrey quickly borrowed a phone. When I asked, “Do you have data, Geoffrey?” he simply replied, “No.” While that could have stopped everything, it didn’t.
Instead, in New Zealand, Rachel Barwell (my collaborator for this dyslexia support course delivery) contacted David Hunter in the Coromandel, NZ. David then reached out to Wendy Huffman in Texas, founder of the U.S. charity Let’s Make a Difference. Soon after, we were informed that $20 USD was on its way from Texas to someone in the Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya), who sent it on to Geoffrey via Mpesa to Kakamega, Western Kenya. It landed on Geoffrey’s borrowed phone just in time.
With only 30 minutes to go, Geoffrey topped up his data and joined the Zoom webinar, “Making Learning Stick: Practical Strategies for Visual-Spatial (Dyslexic) Learners.”
Even though it was his first time using Zoom, David coached him through it. As a result, Geoffrey made it—and that moment changed everything.
Collaboration From Theory to Practice
Right after the session, Geoffrey tried one of the reading strategies. Because he acted quickly, he helped an older student read better in Kiswahili. From that point on, we saw the beginning of something special.
Building the Foundation
By October 2022, Geoffrey had his own phone. As a result, collaboration became smoother. We started building training materials together. At the same time, we planned for a laptop, which we’ve now purchased!
Because we could all use Google Docs, our teamwork became easier across borders.
That same month, Rachel and I connected with Laura and Sue from The Whole Dyslexic Society (WDS) in Canada. As that relationship grew, so did the mission.
In December 2022, Geoffrey, Rachel, and I signed a legal partnership agreement with The WDS. That allowed us to raise funds clearly and share tools more easily.
A Miracle Delivery
On Christmas Eve 2022, something amazing happened. After a 3-month journey via Somali shipping routes, a package of Davis training materials arrived in Nairobi. Since Ron Davis and Richard Whitehead from Davis UK and Davis Africa donated it, this gift meant so much. Geoffrey picked it up at the Fargo courier depot in Kakamega on Christmas Eve. It felt like a true Christmas miracle.
Growing the Mission
By January 2023, Geoffrey had launched the Davis Methods dyslexia education into his four training hubs across Kakamega County, and in his own E-Zee Math Tutoring Center. Because tutors and parents began meeting in these hubs, Davis Methods started reaching more families.
Soon after, we created a Facebook group called Dyslexia Education Kenya. It became a place to share stories, build awareness, and grow momentum.
Later, we were invited to speak on the “Now Tell Us” podcast, hosted by Anthony Muiruri, a Kenyan podcaster based in Greece. Since then, more good things have continued to unfold.
2025 and Beyond
Now in 2025, we are a connected and confident team. Because we have the right tools, we’re reaching more learners across Kakamega and beyond. Davis UK and Africa Director, Richard Whitehead, together with Axel Gudmundson in London have been supporting the training efforts significantly with Axel including Geoffrey with a young learner in his global 12-week course for parents and teachers.
We believe that dyslexia is not a disability. Instead, it is a perceptual gift—a different way of learning. When we teach children the way they learn best, real change happens.
One parent recently said:
“Teaching the way my child learns means she can read and write easily now. I see what a gift dyslexia is. Her natural strengths are shining!”
That’s why we do this work.