This is a momentous update…
Children living in orphanages are among the most marginalised groups society globally, they are highly vulnerable to neglect as well as physical and sexual abuse. Over the last 5 years, we have reunited over 60 children from two children’s homes in Kenya with their family through family tracing, community engagement and counselling. In 2020 and 2021, we started to support the families to become self-reliant by starting up small businesses so they can continue to provide for themselves and their children without external support.
By August 2021, the families were able to pay for 70% of their children’s school fees, through the profits made from their small businesses. This was part of a staggered reduction in financial support from Raising Futures Kenya over the course of the 2021 with a view to families being financially independent and able to pay for 100% of their children’s school fees by the start of the new term in January 2022.
Despite the challenges these families have faced due to COVID19 and the recent drought in Kenya causing havoc to livelihoods, we are beyond proud and grateful to report that in November 2021 all families were able to pay for 100% of school fees and basic needs, for the first time in their lives.
The future…
The families have made this project their own, with Nominated Group Leaders having taken on the group coordination and leadership with minimal support from the Raising Futures team in Kenya. They’re ensuring the group activities and support are continuing and are now running the groups fully independently. Families have also set up individual and group savings funds with existing local infrastructure which members contribute to monthly. These groups are a sustainable long-term support network for the families which is a great success for us and couldn’t have been possible with out the help of our supporters, thank you.
With your support we’ve achieved what all non-profits dream of – our support is no longer needed here. With the successful completion of this project we will focus our efforts on our flagship programme, Seed of Hope.
We hope that we will have many more updates like this to share with you over the coming years as we continue to strive for independence and financial security for the fantastic young people and families we work with in Kenya.
Thank you so much for your part in making this happen and we look forward to continuing this journey with you in 2022 and beyond.
With thanks,
Mary, Flo, Vic and Kirsty
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