Educate and Feed 85 At-Risk Kids in Kibera, Kenya

The day started off with buzzing voices of St. Vincent's nursery school children eagerly awaiting their 'safari' (or trip in Swahili). By 9am, children, teachers and volunteers were all on the bus, ready for the day's adventure. After a short drive within the confines of Nairobi city, children arrived at the Nairobi Animal Orphanage to the waiting wild animals -- monkeys, hyenas, lions and cheetahs. Most children could not hide their fear and also their excitement, many seeing these animals in person for the first time in their lives.

Following the animal orphanage, children had lunch and play time at a local park and were off again to the next stop: Mamba Village (a Swahili name meaning “Crocodile Village”). Here, the children had a chance to see (and even touch!) crocodiles and baby tortoises basking in the midday sun. The tour guide talked to the children about reptiles and engaged them with questions about animals. One memorable question was 'What do crocodiles eat?'  To which children offered up different answers: 'beans, grass, children who don’t finish their homework' (as the adults broke into laughter). The guide of course explained different foods eaten by crocodiles (not including children who don't finish their homework!) and gave the children a chance to ask questions.

The day ended with children playing in the Mamba Village bouncing castle and enjoying french fries (a favorite treat among children). As the group filed back into the bus, the children looked tired, but full of excitement about their day out of the normal school class routine.“Imebamba” meaning the day was amazing indeed.

 St. Vincent's would like to thank the group of visiting donors that made this special day possible for our children. 

In the packed slum of Kibera, it is quite rare for children to have the opportunity to participate in organized sports. With the help of St. Vincent's, 14 children are getting a unique chance to learn and play tennis. For the past 6 years, St. Vincent's has supported children to participate in weekly lessons with Coach Joe in Nairobi. The participating children come both from St. Vincent's Rescue Center, as well as from St. Vincent's community outreach activities. In addition to its physical benefits, the tennis program offers children the chance to have fun while acquiring confidence skills and a sense of commitment and pride all in a protected setting. 

One of these tennis athletes is 12-year old, Grace, who has grown up with St. Vincent's. A graduate of our Nursery School, Grace and her family continue to receive support from St. Vincent's as part of our community outreach program. Grace lives with her mother and sister who was permanently injured several years ago in a train accident that took her left leg. With extremely limited access to resources for children with disabilities available in Kibera, Grace's mother struggles to care for her girls while simultaneously earning enough money to attend to the girls' basic needs. St. Vincent's support enables Grace to attend school and to participate in the tennis team, despite her mother's inability to pay fees.

Upon being introduced to tennis, Grace quickly developed a love for the game. She joined the tennis program from the outset and has been an active member of her team for the past six years, during which she has honed her skills in the game. In December, Grace was invited to join the team at a tournament in Mombasa, 480 km from Kibera. With St. Vincent's support, Grace was able to participate in the tournament. Toting a trophy in her hands, Grace proudly returned to St. Vincentt's following the tournament to report on her adventure and of course, to show off her trophy!