Project Organization

UFALME Community Organisation

Project Location

Kenya is a regional hub for communication, trade and finance in East Africa having the best infrastructure and most trained personnel. Its ports supply neighboring countries of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda. It is home to abundant and varied wildlife and boasts several reserves. However, Kenya faces developmental issues which include environmental degradation, periods of drought followed by flooding, over-reliance on low-value primary goods, inadequate social services such as education and medical care, insufficient physical infrastructure and political corruption. The population is very young with half of the nearly 37 million persons below the age of 19.

Project Description

The project gives holistic support and vocational training to children who are orphaned or vulnerable.

Project Rationale

As with most African nations, AIDS poses special developmental challenges including those of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC). There are an estimated 1.6 million orphans (i.e. below the age of 15) in Kenya and over 100,000 children living with HIV.

Project Activities

Activities are varied and include talent identification and development, OVC psycho-social support, identity and self-esteem counseling, rehabilitation programmes for street children. Vocational training is offered to children unable to join the formal school system and life skills training is offered to all. The project provides school uniforms, food and nutrition supplements, feminine products and extra tuition. The project also conducts “child rights workshops” jointly with the Christian Children Fund. Increased awareness has ensured that child abuse cases are reported to the relevant authorities.

Project Impact

In 3 years over 600 OVCs have been impacted. They now have access to medical care and school supplies among other basic needs. Extra tuition offered to those whose home environments are not conducive to studying has resulted in improved academic performance and increased admittance to good secondary schools. In addition, the project has greatly reduced the number of child abuse cases reported in the Juja and Kasarani constituencies.