Early this month, after much preparation, we welcomed 16 new boys to Shelter. In the weeks since then, they have been going through a rehabilitation program, and our social workers have been busy learning their stories and visiting their families.

We're very pleased with their progress so far, and we've even been able to reintegrate two of them with family already.

This rescue marks a big step in our new approach in operations. In the past, we've typically done one rescue early in the year and reintegrated most boys at the end of the year. In 2019, however, we've made a strong push for reintegrating boys and families as soon as they are ready and it is safe and healthy. In fact, we've been able to successfully reintegrate a record 24 boys already this year (with many more expected in the coming months!). This in turn has given us the opportunity to welcome more boys throughout the year. With these new arrivals, our total number of rescues this year comes to 41 boys, more than we have ever rescued in a single year.

We are so thankful that this new approach is allowing us to serve even more children and families, and we are looking forward to safe and healthy reintegrations for all of our new residents.

Meet Eugene

One of the boys we were able to reintegrate early this month is Eugene.

When we first met Eugene, he introduced himself as "Peter." It is not uncommon for boys to give us false names until they feel comfortable sharing their story. "Peter" was generally quiet and seemed to be adjusting well to life at Shelter. He had been on the streets for about a month before coming to Shelter, but he was hesitant to share much more about his life before going to the streets.

A few days after the rescue, Eugene's mother arrived at Shelter looking for her son. She shared that he had left home without any clear reason. At the time, he was attending school, was the captain of his junior league football team, and was so loved by his family and community. They had been looking for him for weeks, and thankfully, learned that he had been taken to Shelter. Eugene was surprised but happy to see his mother, and along with our social work team, a plan was put in place for him to return home and go back to school. A social worker visited the family the following day and determined a safe and healthy reintegration was possible.

Eugene is now at home, attending school, and preparing for his upcoming final exams. His family reports he is happy and doing well.

Carpentry Update: David

David came to Shelter for the first time in 2015. After a brief stay, he relapsed and spent the next few years on and off the streets. In 2018, he decided once and for all to leave his old life behind and came to Shelter ready to learn a skill and create a new future for himself. In the year and a half he lived at Shelter, he proved to be a hard worker and a leader among the boys.

David graduated from our carpentry program in August and returned home to Nakuru to begin his carpentry apprenticeship. In just two months, he's already built beds, tables, cabinets, stools, and chairs, and his mentor has given him high praise for his strong work ethic and willingness to learn. Soon he will be earning an income and supporting himself with his carpentry work.

We are so proud of David and we know we will see great things from him in the future.

Thank You!

Your decision to partner with us has given us the resources to rescue and reintegrate record numbers this year. The generous donations we receive allow us to not only welcome new boys like Eugene and reintegrate them, but also to provide thorough and frequent follow-up for boys like David. If you'd like to support our work, as little as $20 a month can help reunite a boy with his family.