Help 60 Vulnerable Children Stay in Their Families

Vision Africa believes that children have the same value as adults. They have a right to live in a safe and child sensitive community and it is our responsibility as adults to ensure that they access holistic development and attain their full potential. For this reasons St. Andrews Baby Unit will continue to shelter and protect these children before they are taken up for either adoption or foster care. Vision Africa through its vulnerable child support program is also looking in to ways where by children placed under institutional care are able to reunite with families or placed in an alternative care through deinstitutionalization process.  Since 2007 when St. Andrews Baby Unit was establishment only 7 children have been taken up for adoption and 2 others are in foster care because their families could not be traced. But for those who were rescued from parental negligence or being orphaned, their families have been traced and they are being encouraged to visit the baby unit to ensure that they get the opportunity bond with the children like in the case of Blessing.

Blessing was brought in at St. Andrews Baby Unit at 14 months. She and her older brother Dickson who is at the main home were rescued by a children’s officer from the neighbouring village. The children were neglected by their mother who is an orphan and at the same time underage.  Their mother was a very bright student but due to lack of support for school fees, she was in and out of school as she had to involve in casual work so as to make end meets. It was at this vulnerable situation that Blessing’s mother was exploited by men who took advantage of her situation with promise of supporting her quest for education hence she became pregnant twice. According to the children officer who brought the children to Kandara Children’s Home, the mother was only sixteen when she had Blessing but she had no source of income to support herself and her children hence many are the times that she would leave her children on their own to go out and look for odd jobs to be able to feed them. This became a concern to a social worker who reported to the children’s officer. After listening to her story, the children’s officer took the children to the Kandara Children’s Home. The mother got sponsorship to continue with her education and she remains with one year to complete her high school education. During the school holidays Blessing mother comes to visit her children so as to maintain the bond as she desires to take her children back once she completes her schooling and secure a stable job.

Other news is that the number of children at the baby unit has dropped from 14 to 8. This is after six of them came of age where by they are moved to the main home. It is hard to believe that most of these children who were brought in at the baby unit while few months old have grown so much in the last few years and are now attending pre-school.  Emmanuel, Derrick, Fidelis, Cecilia, Bedan and Pricilla are now living with their siblings in the main home.  Blessing, Lewis and John have turned three and they too have joined the 6 children in pre-school whereby they attend baby class in the morning and go back to Baby Unit for break time snacks and lunch.

All the children are making good progress with Fidelis making baby conversation with house mothers while Baraka is now making baby steps on his own. We at Vision Africa appreciate your continuous support in making St Andrews Baby Unit a safe haven. We hope you find this partnership valuable and worthwhile because these children who were once in vulnerable circumstances have a home where they get the love, care and attention they desperately needed in order to grow and achieve their development milestone. We also give credit to our dedicated house mothers whom the children refer to as ‘maito’ in the local language which is a honourable name for a mother.