Helping street children to be Street Smart

Yes, there really is such a thing!  Even the arid north of the country experiences a drop in temperatures during June to August.  In the more temperate and high altitude areas such as Nairobi and Kitale, there is a marked 'season' of cold nights, cooler days and torrential rain on a daily basis.  Most of us, especially the farmers, welcomed the 'long rains' with open arms.  After a prolonged drought, the rain was desperately needed to replenish food stores.  For those living on the streets,  however, this is the time of year they dread.

Children and youths come to the streets irrespective of the weather conditions.  What they are trying to escape is worse than rain and cold and their optimism that they will find a better life in town drives them out even in 'the winter'.  The reality of this season for a child from the hot, dry weather of Turkana, however, is beyond anything they have imagined.  They arrive in totally inadequate clothing - probably a teeshirt and light trousers or shorts - and may never have possessed or needed a warm jacket in their lives.  They arrive in a town where the locals spend the afternoons and evenings in fleeces, rain jackets and often even balaclavas, caps and gloves!  Their first challenge is to find a blanket, a cardboard box, an old sack, a piece of plastic sheeting or anything at all to wrap up in at night and to hope that an organisation such as Child Rescue Kenya will be able to provide something warm to drink, a jacket and the possibility of escape from the weather.

Our challenges at this time of year are providing those needs in addition to medical treatment for coughs and chest infections, and trying to deal with the menance of glue addiction.  Glue is easy to obtain and very cheap.  Sniffing glue helps children cope with the biting cold, the wet, the hopelessness and the hunger.  When the sun is shining, it is much easier to avoid it or stop using it.  When conditions are bad, it is incredibly tempting.  The only way we can really be effective in the war against this drug is by getting children into a safe and nurturing environment and this takes on a greater urgency in the 'winter'.  Dealing with their problems at home so they can return to an improved home environment is the only real answer in the long term and this is what we do - from street outreach to drop in centre, from family visits to counselling and empowerment through training, education and grants - we offer a lifeline. Literally.  Life on the streets is dangerous.  Every child deserves a family and a safe home.  Help us provide a lifeline.