CHILDREN’S HOME
We care for vulnerable children
New Life Africa International Children’s Home helps vulnerable and marginalised children, who are either orphans or come from an abusive background. Our goal is to reintegrate the children into the larger community through rehabilitation and education.
Boys House & Girls House
The children living at the Children’s Home are between 4 and 18 years old. We have two separate buildings – New Life Boys House and New Life Girls House. For Primary School the children attend New Life Africa International School.
The children are divided into family groups and there is a mix of young and older children. We have 8 House Parents, who take turns caring for the children and supporting them in their daily lives. The family groups share domestic duties such as cleaning and preparing food together with the staff. In their free time the children play sports, especially rugby and football, practice acrobatics, sing, dance and play music. They are also active in the church.
To ensure successful reintegrating of children back into the larger community, we encourage them to maintain contact with any remaining relatives. We invite relatives to come visit or we facilitate travel to rural areas at least once a year. Little children or children in need of protection are accompanied by our staff.
Boys House - Currently housing 60 boys
As a result of a program for street children, the Boys House opened in 1997 with 7 boys training in the carpentry class.
A new three-story house of 950 m2 was built in 2018 containing a kitchen, dining hall, lounge, bathrooms and bedrooms to replace the old dormitory.
Girls House - Currently housing 48 girLS
Opened in 2003 after an increase of vulnerable girls came asking for shelter and a safe place from sexual violence.
The number of girls increased in a very short time and a new two-story house was built in 2007. The 570 m2 house has a kitchen, dining hall, lounge, bathrooms and bedrooms, each with four bunk beds.
Counselling and transformation
The children we have in our care have been through very traumatic experiences. Some have been living in the streets taking drugs. Others have been exploited by human traffickers, been sexually abused or beaten.
NLAI has a social work department that works closely with the government to trace genuine cases that are brought to us. This department does home visits to assess the need before we admit the children. The social department also follows up on cases in court where the case is of abuse or rape, or where there is any active security threat on the children.
The children are offered professional counselling and care to help them get through any trauma from their past. We have an inhouse counsellor who is available every day. For severe cases of trauma, the children are referred to the hospital or further psychological care.
We believe the children can heal from their traumatic situations with love, care, professional counselling and prayers. We have testimonies of how God can transform children from street life and drugs to young people who are thriving and fully participating in society.
Supporting the children to achieve an education
All the children in the Children’s Home are sponsored until they have completed their education. For Secondary School they attend different boarding schools or are enrolled in a skill-based college education. After Secondary School they join university or college.
When they turn 18 years old, they move out from the Children’s Home but remain under our support as part of the NLAI family. Having completed their education, an exit process is employed, and the support is reduced over a period of three months, until they are able to care for themselves.
It is a joy for us to see how former youth from the Children’s Home are now self-sustainable. Some have married and have children of their own.
LEADERS OF THE CHILDREN'S HOME
Kennedy K. Kariuki
Manager
Annah Kiilu
Supervisor for Children’s Home
and children in external schools
Sponsor a child in our Children's Home
