HOPE: Celebrating Fruitful PARTNERSHIPS

• We are grateful to our friends and partners around the world for their generous support and walking with us in 2019- 403 children were removed from the streets.
• Because of your giving we have been able to expand our work in the counties by training and equipping community caregivers who are helping in rescuing children in their counties and walking with them and their families because they are on the ground.
• Because of your generous giving and support 114 children sat for their primary school education, 23 sat for their final secondary school education and end of 2019, 33 students are being supported through high school by end of 2019 meaning this No may increase in January.
• We have had many opportunities to make a real difference to the lives of children and families because you prayed and supported us in 2019. Thank you and May God refresh you!!

A sustainable way to rescue children from the street is through re-integrating them back into their family and community. And Tumaini Kwa Watoto ultimate goal is to rescue and reintegrate children into their families and communities.

It has often been said that it takes a village to raise a child. Children need a chance to grow to their full potential in life, and it is our job to help raise children and give them the ability to rise to their true prospective. For every child removed from the streets, there is always a need to raise a volunteer care giver who walks with the family in supporting the child.

We have Volunteers who are categorized into two categories: Primary who include biological parents, children in the family and relatives; Secondary volunteers who include teachers, spiritual leaders’, health workers, law enforcement officers, children officers, Voluntary community workers and social workers in children homes/institutions, organization among others. The categorization is thus, not rigid. It only helps us note that biological parents have the basic bigger role in raising the child which they should not assume someone else will play.

Our team accompanies the children to reunite them with their families and communities and support them if difficulties arise. The parents receive assistance to cope with family-related problems and child-rearing skills. In addition to helping parents, our team paves the way for children and young people to receive education and/or vocational training.

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Partnership in the Counties

NAKURU COUNTY

Nakuru County became a main focus due to the influx of children in the streets of Nairobi from Nakuru County. This was also due to post election violence in 2007 which scattered many families and children were greatly affected. This brought in the idea of training the community and churches on the plight of children especially those scattered in the streets. They could receive care from the community once rescued and prevented from joining the streets again.
In June 2013, the training Community Volunteers in Kenyan counties begun in Nakuru County; One pastor who heard about rescued children by Tumaini Kwa Watoto invited the team to train the congregants on how to restore children from the streets into their families. For this first training, 22 parents and pastors attended.

After 2013 training, we took time because the outcome was not as we were expected because we needed to raise people who could work with us but the first training turn out to be an awareness meeting. Second meeting January 2015 with a new strategy was conducted, this time community workers, pastors and volunteers from Nakuru were invited. A total of 57 participants took part in the training. Ten of these people were really interested and willing to work with Tumaini Kwa Watoto in streets of Nakuru. 7 children were rescued and reunited with their family that year.
From 2016, to November 2019, 47 children have been rescued and over 60 follow up of the reintegrated children done by the Tumaini Team and the Community Volunteers in Nakuru County. One key person in coordinating the work in Nakuru County amongst 4 other volunteers is Mr. Hillary who has remained consistent and committed to Tumaini work in this County.

NYANDARUA COUNTY

Tumaini Kwa Watoto goal is to continue making a difference in the lives of children, families and communities.  Tumaini Kwa Watoto cannot achieve this goal alone; we have therefore incorporated others on the ground to support the children and families when we are not there. In Nyandarua County we have been actively engaging Children Officers and Volunteers. One specific care giving volunteer is called Eunice. For the past three months through training and practical work in the county, 26 children were rescued, 17 went back to school and 9 will be joining in January. Through Eunice, counseling, spiritual guidance and family empowerment has been offered.

NYERI COUNTY

Meeting Phyllis was not a coincidence, she was already known as a volunteer, counseling and praying with children in the streets of Nyeri town. She had tried to rescue several children on her own but had no knowledge on how to go about it. Tumaini team connected with her and introduced her to their vision. They walked the street of Nyeri town together relating with children and for the willing, a rescue was planned. In the family, the children were reintegrated. And Phyllis was introduced as one to follow up on the cases. It has been journey of 4 months, and 28 children have been rescued, 21 went back to school and 7 will be joining in January. 1 family was also empowered and several others needing help. Phyllis has followed up most of these children through Tumaini Kwa Watoto facilitation.

KIAMBU COUNTY

Kiambu County is a town itself and has several other towns in it.  For it to be our key focus was because there are other major towns linked to it. A number of children from the neighboring towns have come to the streets. There are slums like Kiandutu which is a home to children who visit the street and return to their families at night.
TKW entry to Kiambu County town was to create support systems for the children rescued in that county and a care giver from the community was required. Through networking Mr. Njuki was found to be the best community caregiver volunteer. Tumaini Team trained him practically on how to relate with children on the streets, how to prepare them for reintegration, tracing the families, bringing reconciliation and follow-ups. Together with Mr. Njuki- caregiver in Kiambu County, 15 children have been reintegrated back into their families and 10 have already gone back to school.

EMBU COUNTY

A year ago, a team member from Tumaini Kwa Watoto rescued a child from the streets of Nairobi and the children family was from Embu. During reintegration of the child, the team member met with a Sunday school teacher called Susan who the child family forwarded to know the child. Susan work in the church and church school was known in the locality and her passion was her testimony. She inquired how she could get involved with Tumaini and it was a perfect way to train and practically taken to the streets of Embu town, related, prayed with the children.

Some of those who wanted to go home, reintegration was facilitated and over time of building trust in the families, Susan was introduced as our community volunteer who the families could reach out to first in case of a follow up, guidance and support.

The team works hand in hand with the families and the community care givers to make sure the child have a community around them. So far 12 children have been removed from the streets and back into their families. 8 went back to school and 4 waiting to join in January.

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Community Volunteers are a vital link in Tumaini Kwa Watoto 4Rs Reintegration model. (Relate, Rescue, Reintegrate and Restore). The well-being of these Community Volunteers who are supporting children and their families is important and Tumaini Kwa Watoto is committed to equipping them. They are helped to remain healthy for effective service delivery since this is a challenging work that requires a lot of support.
Many life changing and restoration stories of children in the community are made possible by people like Hillary, Phyllis, Eunice, Njuki and Susan who are volunteering their time and energy with Tumaini Kwa Watoto. They believe it is time to bring hope to the darkest places in their Counties. Every child who passes through our hands has a story. You can learn more about this work, these children and the people we serve by visiting:
www.kenyachildrenofhope.org