Hodari was begun back in 1971 by a group of Nairobi parents who were interested in seeing their sons use their free time after school, on weekends and in the holidays more constructively. Together, they came up with the idea of a boys’ club where their sons could learn various skills, hone their talents, foster friendships, grow in piety and mature in character. For 10 years, the club held its activities in a room allowed it by the then Strathmore College in its Lavington campus.

In 1982, the Ndoto Road clubhouse was finally bought and refurbished.Now Hodari had a place of its very own to call home! With all the senior and junior boys jostling and running around in the Ndoto Road clubhouse, it soon became clear that more space was needed… another house or an expansion was required to accommodate all the boys and activities. Ten years later, in 1992, the opportunity made itself available.The junior boys would have a place all to themselves! Located at the junction of El Molo Drive and James Gichuru Road in Nairobi’s Lavington area, the new plot provided the ideal space for the younger boys to shout, run, climb, chase and scream to no end. This house is now fondly referred to as “H2” while its older sibling on Ndoto Road, “H1”.

On these two properties, more than 40 years later, Hodari continues to organise activities for boys from across and beyond Nairobi, in the light of the dream of that first group of parents.The actual day-to-day running of the club activities has over the years been entrusted to a group of young men who have the zest and energy to match the boys; the parents – especially fathers – also give a hand where their experience and expertise is needed such as in budgeting, arranging for cultural visits, advising the Organising Committee etc. The spiritual and moral formation of parents, instructors and the boys of Hodari was in its turn entrusted to Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church.

The premises and property of Hodari Club is held in trust by Imara Educational Foundation. Imara is a non-profit charitable body incorporated under the Companies Act of Kenya, as a Company Limited by Guarantee and without share capital.The Foundation aims at promoting social welfare by:

Providing material facilities to encourage and establishing training and educational projects in Kenya,
Organising courses, seminars, study groups and other suitable cultural activities,
Relieving poverty and distress by providing bursaries and training for needy students, and
promoting work-camps to help the less favoured strata of society.