Street Children Program
The Problem
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In Eldoret, Kenya, hundreds of children and young people live in the local garbage dump. Some are teenage mothers with newborn babies, many the result of rape. A lot of these kids are orphaned, having lost their parents to illness (often HIV/AIDS), accidents, or other tragedies. Others have run away to avoid physical and emotional abuse from alcoholic or drug addicted parents or other family members. There are also those kids who left home simply because of an argument at home and have lost the courage, or perhaps just can’t afford, to go back.
Regardless of how they got here, these children now spend their days foraging in the rubbish for food to eat and bits of plastic and scrap metal to sell. Most are addicted to glue, which they sniff to numb their physical hunger and emotional pain.
How Open Arms Helps
Open Arms works with the Tumaini Children's Drop-In Center in Eldoret to help meet many of the needs of these struggling children. Rachel Gallagher, Open Arms Founder and President, serves on the Tumaini board of directors.
The Drop-In Center provides street children the following:
- A safe, positive environment where they can rest, wash, play and learn
- Nutritious breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks are served daily
- Classroom, vocational, and business training
- Basic health care, including HIV testing and treatment
- Health and hygiene education
- Substance abuse rehabilitation
- Individual and group counselling
Each weekend Open Arms partners with Tumaini for its Saturday outreach ministry that seeks to meet the recreational, physical and spiritual needs of these children through sports, a meal, and the sharing of the Gospel. Several of the children that now live at Open Arms Village have been referrals from the Drop-In Center. Partnering with Tumaini, Open Arms has successfully repatriated other children with their thankful families.
Please consider making a donation to help bring hope to these vulnerable and destitute children.