Caring for Both Vulnerable Girls and Boys of Kenya

JWHS has become a go-to crisis center for abused, abandoned, and neglected children in our area. Children’s officers rely on us because we are a secure location, we accept emergency placements, and we assist the children with loving personal attention and professional counseling.

Because of this, we sometimes receive young men and women close to adulthood who are critically undereducated due to poverty and childhood neglect, and yet conditions in their native homes remain unsecure or even life-threatening. Once they are 18, they get kicked out of our home whether or not they have “caught up” in school. One of our girls approaching 18, for instance, is only in Class 7 (7th grade). This is not unusual for Kenyan’s vulnerable child population, and indeed, 30% of JWHS residents are in this position.

We are working on a solution that would provide intermediate housing, technical skill development, and employment for girls and boys on the brink of under-prepared ‘aging out’. In the Hatua Moja Juu ("A step up") program, girls will continue their education in a separate part of the JWHS lot and work part-time at JWHS fulfilling needed role model, mentor, and cooking/landscape positions. Written contracts will include a budget to help them manage their money and time, and JWHS will facilitate their apprenticeship in a desired field one day per week.

The estimated amount for Hatua Moja Juu startup is $6,000.   This covers the cost of renovations to the building, furnishings, establishment of an income generating project, and support for the girls for 6 months.

Thank you for all you've done to support our work in Kenya! Help us ensure that our hard work and care for Kenyan children can be sustained into their adulthood. With 39% of Kenya’s youth unemployed (KCB 2020), a solid educational and skills foundation can mean the difference between independence and the cycle of poverty.

Links:

• Our website