Rescue 100 Street Youth for COVID-19 safety

Tumaini Innovation Center is a Community Based Organization (CBO) that seeks to address the unique challenge of vulnerable street children and youth. This highly vulnerable population is at a very high risk of contracting infectious diseases like Covid-19 due to the unsanitary and unhealthy living conditions they live in. We requested support from you to rescue street children, provide them with essential information about the virus, reintegrate them back home, create mechanisms to refer those infected to emergency health care centers, and support them while undergoing treatment.

We developed a multiagency emergency response program to support street families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tumaini worked with Partner organizations, the Children Department, and the Uasin Gishu County Government to create a concerted emergency program to rescue, reintegrate, shelter, and provide healthcare referrals to street families affected or infected with the COVID-19 virus.

From March 2020, Tumaini staff in collaboration with partner organizations and the government reached out to the street families in the streets of Eldoret and areas where they reside and rescued them. The rescued children were taken to Tumaini for emergency sheltering and provision of basic needs like food and clothing. They were further assessed and prepared to be repatriated back to their homes as an emergency measure of preventing them from contracting the coronavirus while on the streets.

The Eldoret Police Department supported us to reach the street population beyond curfew hours and rescue them.

The office of the UG County Commissioner in collaboration with well-wishers donated masks to the street-connected children through Tumaini.

The County Government of Uasin Gishu donated a water tank for handwashing purposes.

Outcomes

1. A total of 163 children have been rescued from the streets of Eldoret
2. We reintegrated 83 children back to their homes.
3. Most of the children rescued are from the neighboring counties because they needed urgent support to return home
4. The office of the County Commissioner in collaboration with well-wishers donated 250 masks that were given to street-involved children and youth to protect them from contracting the coronavirus.

Next Steps

1. Work with the street leaders to motivate more children to abandon street life
2. We are currently looking for alternative homes with relatives or community members for children whose homes are not conducive
3. Do follow-ups for children who have bounced back and find ways to permanently reintegrate them with their communities
4. Continue with the rehabilitation of the children addicted to drugs and street life
5. Forming a consortium for organizations working with street children and youth in Uasin Gishu.

CONCLUSION

We look forward to continuing to work with you in rescuing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating street-involved persons during the Coronavirus pandemic. Thank you so much for your continued support.