That smile tells his story.

Dominic Nderitu comes from a very poor background and in an environment where only animals should survive.  He lives with his father and grandmother along the corridor of Samburu game reserve in Laikipia which is undeveloped and sparsely populated.  One has to walk for long distances to get to school, health facilities, communication, and access to the road and water.  Dominic has been at home for three years which says a lot about his commitment to stay at home and pursuing his education. He has three siblings, an older brother who does casual jobs in Nairobi and a sister who is sponsored by the Presbyterian University. His family used to live in a slum in Nairobi that caught fire and they lost everything. They moved to Laikipia in central Kenya as squatters because they don’t have their own land. Later his mother fell sick and passed away. His father too fell sick and was in hospital for four years and his health has never recovered and he can only do light work.  Dominic and his father rely on his elderly grandmother for basic needs.   Although he sometimes goesfor days without food, he hasn’t missed school for a day for the last three years or run away.  He is an average student but he has the potential to do better given the opportunity. He will be sitting for his final primary exam to enable him to join high school next year.  He needs education sponsorship to pursue further education and break from his family’s poverty cycle.

Tumaini Kwa Watoto has helped 10 young people settle back with their families who are working hard to pass their primary school exams next month and aspiring to join high school in 2016. They are determined to achieve their dreams….just waiting for the community to stand with them.  It takes a community to raise a child.  You can be part of their community to enable them to pursue their dreams. Only £50/$77 a month for four years will make it happen!

Here’s a wonderful opportunity for you to empower Dominic through education. Your partnership will make a significant difference in his life, the lives of his family and community.  By investing in the life of this determined young man you become part of his journey of hope.

Together changing lives of orphans and vulnerable children for good – moving them from poverty to purpose. An opportunity for you to leave a lasting mark on the life of a young person. That’s how together we can change our world.

 

Timely gifts: David said, “I cannot thank Tony enough for this kind gesture and wished him blessings upon his life”. Tony is a friend from UK who visited David at home and he was touched by the state of his humble background. Tony offered to buy David a pair of shoes and a text book that he needed to focus on his academic work.

David suffered rejection when his mother got married to a man from a different tribe. We found him on the streets of Nairobi and rescued him in 2013. When we met him on the streets, we established that he was a product of a cross cultural marriage which hadn’t worked. David didn’t bond with his step father Mr. Odour so his mother took him to his grandmother Zainab Wanja Mutua who gladly accepted her grandchild. David’s family network runs across eastern, central and Rift valley provinces of Kenya which unsettled him.

David has shown tremendous improvement on his journey of restoration. His grandmother Zainab is full of praise for him. He runs errands and other chores as requested. He has become useful to his grandmother. He is in form one in secondary school and working towards shaping his dream. His teachers are assisting him to improve his grades. He has also shown commitment to school and does not miss unless unwell.

David got his gifts of shoes and text book when he came for the ‘Inspire & Empower Mega Celebration Event’ on 18^th-20th August held at Bethany halfway house. He joined 41 other young people who attended this memorable event. His joy was evident as he went home wearing his new shoes. He said,” I cannot thank Tony enough for this kind gesture and wished him blessings upon his life.”

We hope that he will live up to the change which has been initiated into his life. For it would be wonderful to see this translated into usefulness in the lives of others in his generation and beyond.

A thank you note to Tony from David Gatete:

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine how 10 year old Stephen survived on the streets for a month? He’s just a child who needs his parents. But then Stephen opened his heart to Tumaini Kwa Watoto (TKW )team and shared his story. “My mother and my father separated and we moved to my grandmother’s place with my mother. I missed my dad. A friend encouraged me to join him on the streets where there was lots of money. We came to see the city but I soon realized that this was not a good place.” As we listened to Stephen, we planned a quick rescue before he got glued to the life on the streets.

One would say that Stephen is a hyperactive boy, possibly to cover his hurts or maybe he was just being a 10 year old. At home we met his supportive mother and a grandmother who usually take turns to take care of Stephen.

His mother said she works in a restaurant but she said little about his father only that he is working far away in Mombasa.

During reintegration she was very unhappy with Stephen and wondered what he would do next. She recalled the ordeals she had gone through while looking for him. “On realizing Stephen had gone missing I went to the Children’s Office at a nearby Police station to report because I was worried for my son.” She said. But she calmed down and together we agreed on a constructive way forward.

Stephen’s face brightened up on seeing his friends from TKW paying him a visit two weeks later. He had agreed to settle at home and report to school in class two. He was smartly dressed in his school uniform. His mother reported that she had experienced positive change in Stephen’s attitude – This is TRANSFORMATION IN PROGRESS. Stephen’s family is facing financial challenges and they are unable to pay Stephen’s school fees/requirements of 5500Kshs/£50 that need to be paid before the end of July when the term ends. He needs regular support as he settles back home. Stephen misses his dad and his support. What is a 10 year old to do?

These are some of the challenges that push the children to the streets – poverty, absentee fathers and upheaval that come with family breakdown, etc. We seek to get the child back to school and find a way to empower the family. Education sponsorship enables the child to return back to school while our equipping parents program seeks to put structures in place to support the family.

It costs £250 to rescue one child and monitor his progress for three months. Depending on the state of the family, many families need regular financial support up to 6 months. Your gift of £20 a month for six months will give this family regular income enabling them to meet their basic needs as they seek sustainability. Will you commit to partner with this family to keep Stephen off the streets and on to a bright future ahead?

Elvis’ experience on the streets left him thinking through his future. When TKW team met him, he always seemed to be in deep thought. Then one day, Elvis Mathaai said, “Mwalimu (teacher) I ran away from home because I didn’t really like the new school my mum transferred me to at the start of the year.”

 

As a form 2 student, Fanaka High school was not Elvis’ choice but his parents felt this new school would help him improve his performance. Unfortunately Elvis and his parents didn’t discuss the transfer and Elvis attended school for the first term without raising any suspicion. Some children just need a bit of convincing that the decision their parents make is in their best interest. Elvis benefitted greatly from the counseling we gave him as we befriended him on the streets and plans to walk him home were put into place.

Negotiating a child’s future is part of what we do at TKW. Elvis asked to express to his parents on his behalf that he was ready to settle at Fanaka High School and focus on his studies.

 

Two weeks after we reintegrated him back home, we visited Elvis at home and school. We were glad to meet a transformed Elvis and with a changed of perception concerning the school. His mother made these comments: “My son has not been a truant and my wish was just to see him again and listen to what his challenges were at the school. He is a bright boy and I am sure that he will excel in his studies. Once again Thank you Tumaini Kwa Watoto for bringing my son home safely because another person could have taken advantage of him.”I also thank God for answering my earnest prayers to bring my son back home, she continued.

 

Elvis & his parents are in a new place working through their challenges. Negotiating the future of each child is important. Empowering the child to negotiate his future is means impacting the next generation. Passing on negotiating skills to the parents is what TKW does through Equipping Parents Community Program (EPCP). Crucial partnerships are needed to expand this important program because it’s benefitting children, families and communities. This must mean only one thing, a more secure nation. Will you partner with TKW to equip more parents and impact more children and their communities?

A father meets his son after 9 years of Separation

The long search had come to an end as father and son were reunited. Thanks to the TKW team on the streets who bridged the gap! “Unbelievable! I have longed for this day, when my last born son would be reunited with me again.” Emmanuel’s father says with a voice filled with emotion.

“When you have waited for 9long years, you just don’t think it’s going to happen. For these many years I never knew what was happening to him and this has been very difficult for me. I have not seen my son since he was 5, now almost an adult!” he exclaimed.

Emmanuel’s father wanted to be the best dad to his 4 children, but separation from his wife also separated him from his last born son for 9 years.

Emmanuel’s parents divorced after Lokitare, his father got a job that required him to work away from home. After he had struggled for a long time to provide for his family, he says, “I don’t remember precisely what stirred her angry and unforgettable pronouncement: “If you want us to relocate, just know I am not going anywhere but you can pick your 3 older children. Go work and raise them but “take a good look at Emmanuel, it will be the last time you ever see him!” he remembers her saying about 5 years old Emmannuel.

Fathers are supposed to provide for their families financially and mothers are the nurturers. It had been that way for Emmanuel’s family, but his father says: “y myself.”When my wife left I had to learn a new role, one I had not anticipated. I never knew what being a father and mother was about until I had to do it all b

“This broke my heart as I took my 2 older sons and a daughter, moved to the town where I had a job and I have never remarried, 9 years later. My children are everything to me. They motivate me to wake up every day to work hard and the little wage I earn as a security guard I share it with my children and still send little to Jane (Emmanuel’s mother) to support the son she took away from me.”

He kept a photo of Emmanuel tucked in his pocket every day as a reminder of the smiling boy he last held in his arms nearly 10 years ago. He never forgot his son and regularly mentioned him to relatives. Emmanuel 14 years old now, who had been composed throughout the journey from Nairobi, flew into his father arms, as his father’s work mates looked on.

Emmanuel had been living with his mother and step father since he was 5. On meeting with TKW team on the streets he remembered how he longed for his father. A family friend from his mother’s side had given him his father’s mobile phone number and told him to keep trying. Emmanuel kept trying without success to locate his father. He now produced a name and a phone number. His father was known to be living somewhere in Nakuru and this helped us in the search. “Growing up not knowing where my father and my other siblings were has been sad for me,” said Emmanuel while lookingfor the right words. That’s how he ended on the streets where he met with the TKW team who reunited him with his long lost father.

So much to say…There was no way to make up for lost time. “It’s like being in a dark room and now everything’s bright, there is an immense light in my life now. I’ve got my last born son back and he’s got me and that’s all that matters.” Emmanuel’s father said conclusively in a relieved voice.

Tumaini Kwa Watoto team is strategically positioned on the streets to reconnect lost and lonely children with their families. Setting lonely children into families and restoring families to functional order. Emmanuel’s father could have paid any price to get his son back if he could.  Emmanuel is now safe in his father’s care. Your partnership keep us motivated to pursue another lonely and lost child. Thank you for your partnership. Will you stand up to be counted to reconnect another child with his family? Will you share this story with one person? Sharing is caring.

 

 

Together we can remove children from the streets and give them a fresh start. That’s what equipped community leaders did. The pastors in Homa Bay area of Western Kenya were fired up to go after the children on their streets after our Equipping Parents’ and pastors’ training seminars.Here are briefs of 11 children they have rescued so far this year, bringing the total to 23 children since last year.These siblings, Grace Anyango (13) and Antony Odhiambo (14) are in class 6 & 7 atAlfa Academy. They were rescued by Bishop Jacton Migenda of IPHCK (K). Grace’s family was disintegrating after their parents separated but the reconciliation process is ongoing and Pastor Jacton has been key in reaching out to both parties. Antony’s behavior is improving as he used run from school to the streets. He has now turned a new leaf, listening to instructions and concentrating on his studies.

 

Emmamuel Ochieng, Daisy Aila and Stacey Awinja ages 12, 13, and 14 years are in Class 5 and 6 at Shauri Yako Primary School. They were rescued by Evangelist Mary Ajwange of Jesus Restoration Center. Stacey and Samuel are orphans who are currently supported by the church. Daisy is back with her mother. All three are doing well in their school work and seem to be settling well.

 

 

 

13 year old Belinda Oluoch is in class: 6 at Oyuka Primary School and Pastor Vitalis of Christian Family Church rescued her from the streets. Belinda has been performing very well in her class work. Pastor Vitalis and his church are giving her an opportunity to study in a private school next term.

 

 

 

Joshua Omondi is 14 Years and he is in

Class 6 at Mirika Primary School.

Bishop Elijah Obado of Mt. Zion rescued him and reconnected him with his uncle and he also has settled well.

 

 

 

Jacqueline Adhiambo is only 12 Years and in class 5 at Makongeni Primary School who was rescuedby Pastor Naftali Milanya of PFCK church. Jacqueline’s parents could not be traced and she was placed in a children’s home where she commutes to school with ease. Pastor Naftali continues to look for her family.

 

 

 

Pastor Kennedy Otieno of PEFA church rescued 13 year old Mark Kelolo from the outskirts of Homa Bay town towards Migori County.

He was immediately attached to a pastor who tried to trace his family without success. He was later enrolled to Gordia Primary school in class 6 and has been under close monitoring.

 

 

 

Pastor Patrick Mackiche of Faith in Christ church rescued 11 year old Simon Wangapala and reunited him with his parents after a long absence from home. Simon initially refused to be reintegrated back home citing parental conflicts. Simon has now been readmitted back to Kibwole Primary School in class 4. Pastor Patrick reported that his parents are attending church regularly.

 

 

 

Hillary Juma (in a white stripe shirt) is 13 Years and in class 6 at Kabunde Primary School. Pastor Paul Oyomo of Faith in Christ church rescued him. Pastor Paul offered to take Simon to live with his family for a short time just to shower him with love and encourage him as he saw other children going to school. It’s amazing how this situation turned out because Hillary wanted to be enrolled to a vocational training school despite his age. Through guidance and counseling, he was helped to understand the merits of education.

Would you like to engage with the issue of children on the streets in your community? TKW team will be on hand to bring Equipping Parents’ and Pastors’ Community Program to your community. You and your community can become gatekeepers to stem the tide of children flowing into big towns and cities. You can also partner with us to financially support these pastors who are caring for these needy children.

 

 

Joseph is a very quiet boy who came to the city determined to find his sister but after landing in Nairobi he could not find her. Disappointed and lost, he found himself on the streets. He is an orphan who was left under the care of his elderly grandmother. After three months on the streets, he was rescued by city authorities while they were removing children from the streets. He was taken to one of the government rehab centres in Eastland’s part of Nairobi. In January 2015, all other boys at the centre were taken to school but Joseph refused the pleasure of going to school in Nairobi as he said, “I want to go back home to my family in Kisumu”, a six hours’ drive from Nairobi.

Ita, one of our visitors and friend from U.K visited Kenya in February 2015 because she wanted to experience the work we do with the children. TKW team embraced her attitude and desire and took her to Bahati Rehabilitation center, Eastlands. She saw firsthand how TKW works as they approached Joseph. They chatted with Joseph and he really opened up saying wanted to go home.Ita carried Joseph in her heart back home. Thank you Ita, you initiated the process.

A few weeks later, a team prepared for the journey to Kisumu. Joseph looked very excited as we were walking; but we would occasionally leave him behind just to see how serious he was to go home.   Along the way he gave us stories of his experiences at the Rehab centre and on the streets.

We got to his home at 5 P.M and met this elderly grandmother, who shouted, “Boi! Boi! Boi!, where have you been! Ooh Nyasaye erokamano (Thank you God) “Come my son,” she held him as she blessed him with great joy. During that moment of celebration, Joseph walked outside and his grandma paused and asked, “Has he gone again?” A few minutes later, Joseph came back with sticks and started lighting the fire. The neighbors came and you could see real love. One of the neighbors who is also his teacher came with her daughter, she said, “We wanted to see Boi”, as they called Joseph. Everyone was like, “Boi, you are back. God loves you. God loves this child.” The joy, smiles and excitement could not be hidden. Joseph was back home where he belongs.

Today, Joseph is back in school for his last year in primary school. His teachers had no problem of admitting him to school. Let’s walk with Joseph as he prepares for KCPE, final primary school exam that ushers young people to secondary school. Joseph will need education support as his elderly grandmother can only feed this promising young man.

“My life was good before, I had a nice home, loving family, everything I wanted. But then my mother left and married another man, a foreigner. I want to go back to my real father and away from my mum and step-father. I’m much better off without their destructive influence.”

12 year old David has lived through such traumatic experiences in his life, but his recovery has just began. He came to the streets to look for money to enable him to go look for his father.

He was reunited with his father who was very excited to have his son back. However to make sure that the abusive mother does not come and destabilize David’s life again, his father reported the case to the children’s district officer who gave him the custody of his son. David’s father has remarried and they have two children younger than David. His step mother is a great woman and unlike many step parents, she welcomed him to their home and accepted him as her own son.

David’s emotional scars are healing. Through counseling and patience, he is making progress, now attending school and his grades are steadily increasing as he adjusts.

David recently ranked among top in his class. His willingness to participate in any activity or chore at home despite his traumatic childhood. David has been delivered and now smiles freely. “We will protect him here in our school now that his father has explained to us his case.” Said the head teacher of David’s new school.
This is a story of 12 year old David Tonito, who is carrying physical and emotional scars of his childhood. David grew up with his father and mother in the town of Magadi on the border of Kenya with Tanzania (where his dad still lives and works). He was 7 years, when his parents separated and his mother got married again to a man who has treated him horribly, physically and mentally abusing him, and not accepting him as his own. Tired of this pain, David left home early February 2015 in search of his real father, not even knowing if he was alive or dead. All he knew was that the man who fathered him lived near the border.

 

David was on the streets for 3 weeks moving from place to the city to another with a goal of begging to get enough money to travel to the border town to look for his father. During his fourth week, he was met by TKW team and David saw a savior. In a dismal mood, he why he was on the streets. He needed love and someone who cared enough for him. ”It would be easier to tell people my parents are dead because when I tell people that I don’t have any contact with my mother and my step-father they question the credibility of my story. Sometimes I have to respond with something like, “They aren’t very nice people”

David was finally rescued from the streets and though it was not possible to take him direct to his father, David remembered his aunt’s (father’s sister) place near the border town. She was grateful to receive David and promised to deliver him to his father.

David recounted painfully what led to his parents separating and him moving to another town with his abusive mother:-”Though my dad was absent during the week, I was assured of seeing him every weekend. My drunken mother physically disciplined us with a heavy cord. She always had a live in boyfriend who also had the nerve of physically abusing me at any opportunity when dad was not around.

After countless times, I finally got the courage to tell my dad what mother was involved in and also told my mother what her boyfriends were doing to us. In front of my dad she called me a liar and so I stopped telling. My dad finally found out the truth and this disintegrated our family. My dad went to the children’s officer and insisted that my mother leaves me under his custody but instead children’s officer did not allow my dad to take me like I begged for, I was stuck with my mother. We moved to the city with barely enough to eat and my mum blamed me for their separation.”

Against all odds, David is growing from the most challenging situations and is still progressing in all areas of his lives. As TKW team we say ‘we are eager to bring hope and change other lives like David’s’. Partnering with us will make the rescue and reintegration of more children with their families. To rescue one child and monitor his progress for three months, we need a gift of £250 or £20 a month or £5 a week for a year. Not every child on the streets is from a poor family…so next time you see a child on the streets, stop and chat with him.