We currently have 22 boys in Madaraka drop-in centre (in the intake stages), and 75 boys in main centre Ruai under our care (in our program). In addition, we also support 74 reintegrated children with their families.
Kwetu boys and staff pose for a photo together immediately after their rescue
Our goal is to help these children in our care and others in safe and loving families through kinship, family reunification, and community-based care.
Children have great potential to change their own circumstances and become productive and successful members of society.
We believe that children should have the opportunity to grow up in happy and healthy families and not on the streets.
Currently, we support:
What is Family-based care?
The focus of Family-based care is providing the love, nurture, and security that allows a child to thrive through reunification with biological parents, kinship care, foster care, or adoption.
Also, a vital part of supporting family care is strengthening families to prevent unnecessary separation.
Our Work
To ensure the sustainability of family-based care, we are doing the following:
Changing the way we care to a family-based approach
Children should be in families and kinship care, not orphanages.
Research affirms that the best environment for children is within a loving and secure family.
At Kwetu Home of Peace, we seek the best interest of each child, which is finding a permanent family setting as soon as reunification is possible.
We will still provide community-based services for former street boys.
Children have the best chance to thrive when they grow up in a family. That's why we're committed to strengthening families, and we are now shifting towards a family-based care model.
Our Work
Our program's transition emphasizes on sustainable family-based care more than institutionalization while seeking street children's best interests
Kwetu gifted parents with food items after the reintegration ceremony.
KHP Programs
We want to see a society where all children, especially street children, have access to rehabilitation services, medical care, and are empowered live to their full potential while growing up in families instead of being homeless on the streets
Transitioning our Care Model
Family is the best place for children to grow. We advocate for that by reintegrating children back into their families after rescuing and rehabilitating them. In their families, they will be able to grow up knowing their siblings and the extended family and will be able to practice their cultures.
Growing up in a family, the children will be able to appreciate the importance of the family in society. As a result of our program, there has been a reduction in the number of children on the streets.
KHP transitioning its model will reduce the dependency on institutionalization and increase community responsibility in taking care of the children. We will achieve this through:
- Psychological support to the families
- Family empowerment
- Monitoring and evaluation of children in families (to check on their progress and the stability and support those who are not stable)
- Regularly assessing the impact of the program on the families
The success of our mission is when rescued boys settles at home when they have completed their rehabilitation time in Kwetu and are ready to embrace the family life, overcoming the stigma of being street children as accepted members of society.
Family-based care, Community-based care, Kinship care, and Family Strengthening
Kwetu is helping with family-based care services for street children. In most cases, community-based care or kinship care-–where extended families take care of children whose parents have died or abandoned them. These family members receive financial support, food, health care, psychosocial support, and parenting coaching from our staff.
We also strengthen families by providing parent education, spiritual development, and skills training to build a strong foundation for empowerment and self-sufficiency. Also, we help parents gain skills that help sustain their families and children for the long-term, including:
- Necessities, such as food and healthcare as needed
- Parenting skills training
- Family support counseling and home visits via trained therapists and social workers
Fundraising to maintain and increase the impact of our work
We can impact more children when children are in families. Through fundraising, with donor support, we will be able to:
- Carry out more family empowerment activities
- Support children in their education
- Afford logistics while carrying out our transition to family-based care
- Better afford the medical support that the children we serve need
- Support parenting capacity building, entrepreneurship skills, and workshops for healthy and safe families
- Psychosocially support reintegrated children and families better (ongoing home visits, counseling, and mentoring)
- Cover transportation costs for social work, home visits, and ongoing monitoring
- Fund essential staff for successful reintegration of children with families
KHP Program Phases
Phase 1: Child Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration
This section details the three steps that makeup Phase 1 of our Program, from street work to rescue to Drop-in.
Base – This work takes place in some of the hiding places where we rescue boys from.
With our unique approach and dynamic programs, Kwetu Home of Peace has expanded its street work and rescuing program and continues to promote street children rehabilitation and reintegration.
KHP works in both curative and preventive ways to provide rehabilitation and reintegration for children into families and communities.
Our organization provides peer-to-peer support for each case.
Phase 1: Drop-in Activities
Drop-in is the first phase, right after program admission, and serves as a temporary stay for children, usually for 3-6 months. This list contains the activities we offer for boys within this phase.
Home Visits
To identify the child's home, parents, and/or relatives to help understand the child's social environment and background.
Guidance and Counseling
This involves individual counseling where professional counselors interact one-on-one with the child.
Seminars and Workshops
This includes organizing talks for the children on various issues such as self-esteem, sexuality, and drug abuse, among others.
Non-formal Education
This is undertaken by a professional teacher to help determine the stage at which a child stopped schooling if they started going to school.
Extra curriculum activities
E.g., football games and various indoor games such as drafts help identify a child's talents.
Spiritual inculcation
Guided by the house fathers, children hold reflections every day and attend Sunday service every week. They are also taught how to pray by themselves and, above all, to build a close relationship with God.
Responsibility Training
The boys engage in daily chores such as cleaning, sweeping, etc. Besides, they have small gardens and rabbits, which they take care of to learn day-to-day responsibilities.
Medical Care
Given the street environment that these children come from, they require thorough and constant medical care. Therefore, a comprehensive medical examination is done within the week of their arrival.
Phase 2: Child Rehabilitation & Reunion at Main Centre
Once at the Main Centre, the children undertake formal education in the neighboring public and private schools.
These children stay at Kwetu for only two years, but they are encouraged to continue their education even after reintegration.
Kwetu Children after school outside
Kwetu boys preparing to go to school
