Reintegrate Street-Connected Children in Kitale

The children at Liyavo have recently spent a month away from school for the holidays in April. They spent their time visiting members of their extended family and enjoying their freedom. Their reports showed improvement in performance for the majority the children so we are very happy. They are all now back in school for the second term. We would like to thank all of our GlobalGiving donors for assisting us in providing care for our children and ensuring that we can help them to attend school and lead happy lives. With donations we have received from a GG donor who has recently visited us in Kitale we are currently working with local suppliers to purchase a complete set of up-to-date primary school text books, at a discounted rate, for our children to use when they are studying at home. The same donor has also raised funds for playground equipment. The children have been making the most of the new roundabout and swing set and we hope that a see-saw will arrive soon (please see new pictures). This at Liyavo, year we have five candidates in standard 8. This is the last year in of primary school Kenya and the students sit their Kenya Certificate of Education (KCPE) exams in November. Our students are already looking forward nervously and will start attending extra classes at the weekends with a volunteer teacher to help give them a boost in their preparation. The grade they achieve at the end of the year will not only determine whether they go to secondary school or a vocational training alternative, but also which high school they will attend. In the last three months we have successfully reintegrated 17 children with their families. This is the ultimate goal that CRK has for all the children we work with. Liyavo provides a long term home for those children who require extra support and a longer time interval for this move. Each of the children receives regular visits to ensure that they have settled in, are attending school and are well supported by their families. The children were very happy to be rejoining their families.

Yes like other children their age our children celebrated and enjoyed chrismas holidays i must actually take the opportunity to thank you for making that happen by the donations you gave us.

January came after the new year celebations it was time again for children to return to school. We are glad that one our boys Jacob Obwaku who did his primary final examinations passed very well and will be joining Secondary school.

We have continued with our activities as always 60 children went on with their primary school classes 3 in secondary school reported.

As we are about to vote briefly our children will not be in school, we are hoping that our elections will be peaceful and should be able to resume with our daily routine.

We are currently also changing our home strategy to incorporate the family set up where children will be attached to parents as we move away from institutionalization. This is a change we hope will be operational before the year ends.

We continue to call upon you to support us especially in the March 13 event that will be marching funds by Global giving up to 30%.

We again thank you for helping us help children we assure you that every donations can be vouched for value.

Liyavo Children Centre(LCC) has remained to be the only hope and home for 70 children.

Children have continued to attend school and access medical care and residential protection thanks to your continued support and donations.

The home offers full transitional residential care for boys and girls from a variety of backgrounds and situations. From 1992 until 1998,LCC  population was limited to about 40 children, the majority of whom were from squatter families that had come to Kitale to escape the violence and ethnic cleansing. Construction of new dormitories and the refurbishment of some of the existing dorms has made it possible to comfortably house 100 children at any one time while 4 places are reserved for emergency cases. LCC now provides services to and/or residential care to 70 children. The majority of children now at the project originate from the streets, although a large minority are 'for the streets' or from extremely 'Difficult Circumstances' within the squatter communities.

The constant residential population of 70 attend local primary schools 4 boys and 1 girl attended secondary school and are now home for christmas holidays, 1 boy is currently finishing his 1st year in the univesity.  There are also a few nursery school age children. The centre has been able to locate families and relations for nearly all of the children in it's care, which has made home visits possible for the majority of kids. Home visits are seen as vital in maintaining or re-establishing links between the children and their communities, which in turn makes re/unification, transition and eventual departure from the project much easier and is often preferable.

New intakes of children are possible as the older kids graduate to Vocational Training or secondary school; or ideally families are reunited .