Matthew and Kelly Erdman are originally from Texas, USA. They have been married since 2005 and have two daughters, Camille and Tabitha. Prior to moving to East Africa, Kelly worked as an occupational therapist and Matthew owned his own construction business.
In 2013 the Erdman family moved to Arusha, Tanzania to serve as the on-site directors for a local orphanage. Through this experience, Matt and Kelly gained a deep conviction that even the very best orphanage cannot be a substitute for a loving family. They realized that what was truly needed was support to keep families together and help them to break free from the cycle of poverty and dependency on institutions such as orphanages.
Drawing from their experience, the Erdman’s developed a model of ministry that provided valuable resources to at-risk families. This model has grown through the years, becoming even more holistic in equipping both children and parents to step into a bright, independent future.
In 2019 the Erdmans relocated to Kampala, Uganda and founded Family First. The mission of Family First is to equip vulnerable families to break the cycle of poverty and dependency. Family First operates in a resettlement area of Kampala and mainly supports refugee families from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
