Home of Hope

Home of Hope (HOH) is an orphanage in Guinea founded in 2015 by Sam Johnson.

Its mission is deeply personal: to provide children with the security, care, and opportunities Sam himself once longed for as a refugee. Without HOH, many of these children would face life on the streets—struggling to find food, shelter, clothing, safety, and education. Sam worked with Guinean officials to ensure the children could attend school, something once denied to them due to their lack of citizenship.

Today, 20 children live at Home of Hope. They are well-fed, housed in a safe environment, and enrolled in school. Some are also learning trades to prepare for the future. “We are providing the same kind of support, encouragement, and chance for education that I received when I came to the States,” Sam explains. Under his guidance, the children practice respect, sharing, responsibility, faith, and service. They not only take pride in themselves and their Home, but also give back to the community through monthly service projects.

Home of Hope compound, situated on nearly an acre of land in Nzérékoré near the former refugee camp, includes dormitories for boys and girls, kitchen facilities, a playground, a fresh water well, and staff housing. The team consists of a resident director, a house mother, additional staff, security guards, and a bus driver.

Since its founding, the facility has undergone major improvements: a new well and plumbing, rewired electrical systems, fortified perimeter walls, a new gate and roof, and new beds and furnishings. Additional rooms were built in 2017, and in 2021, new wells and water tanks were installed, also supplying clean water to the surrounding community.

With the help of supporters, 2024 brought the completion of the boys’ dormitory, along with classrooms and a library. For the first time, the children received their own beds with new bedding. Donated laptops allowed HOH to launch computer instruction as an after-school program.

In 2025, HOH began securing birth certificates for all its children and passports for the oldest, giving them official identities for the first time.

Through this ongoing work, Home of Hope has become a beacon of light. Backed by Sam and the nonprofit My Vision, the orphanage proudly celebrated its first university graduate—a physics major named Marc, who now serves as the Resident Director.

Your support makes this possible. Please consider sponsoring a child at Home of Hope. Together, we can continue giving children not just shelter, but hope for a brighter future.