One Year In - Here's How We're Doing

More than a year ago, the World Health Organization formally declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic. Since that time, Naivasha Children’s Shelter has continued our work of rescuing children from the streets, providing them with rehabilitation services and reuniting them with family. However, our work during the pandemic has proved challenging. 

During the pandemic, we have been one of the few organizations who has continued with street rescues. Children living on the streets have been particularly susceptible to the disease because of poor sanitation.  In addition, the number of children living on the street has seen a huge boom due to economic insecurity and the closure of schools for almost a year. 

We were able to continue rescues because generous funding from our supporters to conduct COVID tests of every child rescued from the streets. 

Unfortunately, many of the children we have rescued have tested positive for the virus. Therefore, we had to convert our newly-renovated counseling house to an isolation centre, and our staff have been isolating with both positive and exposed cases.  Between staff and space limitations, this has severely limited our ability to rescue as many children as we would like.  

We’re grateful for your partnership as we plan an emergency rescue of 25 children in May. We are in the process of exploring ways to expand our capacity for rescues during this “new normal” in order to reach the thousands of children living on the streets and desperate for a chance at a new life. 

With rainy season beginning in Kenya, the boys at Shelter have been staying busy with indoor activities, like working puzzles, in addition to counseling, remedial education and life skills.

David* is the fifth born of nine children. According to his mother, he went to the streets in 2016 when he was only 10, after being influenced negatively by his friends. His mother frequently went to town to bring him home, but he continued to run away. Eventually, in 2018, he went to live with his grandparents, but after a short time, he ran away again and did not return home.

In August 2020, David was rescued and brought to Shelter, where he expressed a desire to change his life and return home with his mother. His family was overjoyed and eager to welcome him home. After completing the transition program at Shelter, engaging in weekly therapy, and spending time with his family over short visits, David was reintegrated this month. He will be enrolled in school when it resumes in May, and he and his family are so excited to be together again.

*At Naivasha Children's Shelter, we respect children's right to privacy. So while their stories are true, client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for understanding.

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As we continue to navigate this pandemic and keep all staff and residents safe, we need your help more than ever.

If you'd like to support our ongoing efforts to restore families, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift.

Thank you!

Helping Families Succeed

Follow-up is an integral part of the work we do at Shelter. It is important, especially in the first year after reintegration, to ensure any issues at home are resolved in order to prevent relapse to the street. When a boy leaves Shelter, our social worker follows them closely with phone calls and in-person visits, working with the families to identify any needs or issues in the home. These needs can range from food insecurity, to educational needs, to lack of employment, and our team works closely with the families to identify solutions and come alongside the parents or caregivers to support them in their long-term goals to sustain their family's needs.

Ensuring the boy's success means ensuring the success of all family members. This year, because of your support, we have been able to expand our support to include school and uniform fees for siblings in the home for those who need it. We are also constantly exploring new ways that we can assist families to create sustainable businesses and other sources of income. We are committed to looking at each family's individual needs and supporting them if/as they need help.

Below are just a few of the siblings we have supported for school, some who are attending school for the very first time!

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The number of children living on the streets has increased drastically with COVID. Each week, we are rescuing new children, testing them for COVID and enrolling them in the rehabilitation program at Shelter, which includes lots of time for creativity and games.

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Children belong in families.

That's why we're committed to the work of family reunification. Almost every boy who enters Shelter has a parent or extended family member willing and able to care for them.

For our supporters in the U.S.

Many Americans have received, or will be receiving COVID-19 stimulus checks this month. Some of us need the money, but for many, it may be an opportunity to give to others in need.

What could $1400 do in Kenya?

• Feed a family of five for 2 years

• Support school/uniform fees for a primary student for 7 years

• Cover Shelter's entire food budget for one month

• Provide skills training and job placement for 7 youth leaving the streets

If you'd like to support our ongoing efforts to restore families, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift. 

Thank you!

Back To School

Students across Kenya returned to classes in January after almost a year away due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, many families have struggled to place their children back in school. Our social work team has been traveling across the country assisting parents to enroll reintegrated children back in school. Unfortunately, school fees and uniforms have been a significant financial burden to many parents who are already struggling due to the ongoing pandemic. Our staff saw a need to help other children in the families we support, and because of your gifts, we were able. This year, we have assisted 47 students to return to school.

Our team will continue conducting regular follow-ups with the families and schools to ensure that each child is continuing well with their studies. We look forward to seeing them succeed in their academic pursuits!

Celebrating 20 Years!

This year, Naivasha Children's Shelter celebrates 20 years of life-saving work in Kenya.

Our story began in 1996, when the East African Women’s League launched a feeding and teaching program at the YMCA in Naivasha town to help with the growing problem of street children. The project was very successful, but the children still had to leave at the end of the day and sleep on the streets.

The ladies continued to reach out to boys living on the streets until 2001, when Debbie Case and Melissa Keng realized their dream of establishing a home for the boys. Ten acres of land were donated for construction of a shelter. Case and Keng rallied friends from around the world and Naivasha Children’s Shelter was born.

In 2014, Eunice Murage and Kristen Lowry joined the Shelter team as volunteer Co-Executive Directors. Murage and Lowry have continued the Shelter legacy with a new approach aimed at rescuing more boys from the streets, and restoring families.

To celebrate 20 years, Shelter is rebranding this year to Shelter Yetu. In Swahili, this means "our Shelter." Shelter has been growing and expanding our reach for several years now, and this new name represents the larger scope of our work throughout Kenya. While we remain committed to serving the children of the Naivasha community, we have been able to expand our rescues to other cities with the county, and are exploring partnerships across the country as well.

How You Can Help

If you'd like to support our COVID-19 efforts to keep families togther and/or our ongoing family reunification work, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift. 

Thank you!

We Need Your Help This Giving Tuesday

Despite the many challenges of 2020, the Shelter has continued our life-saving work of rescuing children living on the streets and reuniting them with family. This year, we have been able to rescue 70 children from the streets, reunite 40 children (and counting) with their families, provide skills training to 12 older children who were not prepared to return to school, and provide monthly food aid to 24 families affected by the pandemic. While we can celebrate all that we've been able to accomplish this year, we still need your help. Covid has brought about many unexpected challenges for us--changes to our usual programs, unexpected expenses, and loss of donations. Would you be willing to help us make for budget shortfalls this year so we can continue our life-saving work in Kenya? Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, and your one-time gift can make a huge difference to children living on the streets in Kenya. 

Did you know that neither of our Co-executive Directors, nor our U.S. staff receives a salary from the Shelter? That means, instead of going to overhead costs, your donation goes directly to the ground--where it's needed most!

Home At Last

Happy Mashujaa (Heroes) Day! The boys are excited to have a day off from classes as we remember all those who fought for Kenya's independence.

Home At Last

James* was one of our first rescues of 2020, in January. At the time he came to Shelter, he had been living on and off the streets for years, but was ready to go home and back to school. We began working with his family to move toward reunification, and both he and the family were ready to repair their relationship and bring him home.

When the coronavirus pandemic started, we were unable to do home visits for a period of time, but our staff and James remained in contact with his family, as they continued to prepare for his return home. Though his family was struggling with the economic fallout from the pandemic, they were ready to provide for him. Once we were able to resume visits and reunifications, James was welcomed excitedly by his family.

James is just one of the more than 20 boys we have reunited with their families since the beginning of the year. We are grateful to be able to continue this important work even in these difficult circumstances.

*At Naivasha Children's Shelter, we respect children's right to privacy. So while their stories are true, client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for understanding.

Back To School

The government announced earlier this month that students in certain classes (Class 4, Class 8, and Form 4 - levels with significant benchmark testing) would resume classes on October 12th. So now, in addition to our ongoing programs at Shelter, we have two Class 8 students who are attending a local school. They were very happy to see their friends, but adjusting to their new schedule after a 7-month holiday has been a little challenging.

The tomatoes in our greenhouse are starting to ripen and we are so excited!

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How You Can Help

If you'd like to support our COVID-19 efforts and/or our ongoing family reunification work, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift. 

Thank you!

A New Beginning

As we mentioned last month, our August was very focused on our new rescue group. On August 10th, we moved our 22 residents and 5 staff to a local camp, and on August 11th, we welcomed 23 new boys to Shelter! Both groups have been doing very well; everyone is happy and healthy, and they were very excited to be reunited this week.

The new rescue group is learning the ropes at Shelter, and our current residents really enjoyed their time at the camp, even making some new friends in the wild.

Welcome Home, Jeff

Jeff* has been on the streets since late 2018, and in March 2019, he was rescued and began our transition program at Shelter.

Unfortunately, as is sometimes the case, Jeff was not quite ready to leave his old life behind. He relapsed after just a few weeks, and our street officer would often meet him in town and discuss his life and his future. Jeff would usually say he was not ready to leave the street, but over time, he began to think more seriously about his future.

Jeff in March 2019 on his first day at Shelter

Jeff playing games after his return in February 2020

In February of 2020, Jeff decided he was ready to come back to Shelter and work towards reunification with his family. This time it was clear that he was focused and ready to change his life. He excelled in his academic programs, and proved to be responsible and disciplined.

Just before the boys went to camp this month, Jeff, along with his family and Shelter staff, determined that he was ready to go home. His family received him happily, and his mother reports he is doing great and is very helpful around the home. Because school will not resume until January at the earliest due to COVID-19, she has even hired a tutor to help him continue his studies.

Jeff with his mother after being reintegrated

We are so very proud of Jeff and look forward to his continued success at home and school in the future.

*At Naivasha Children's Shelter, we respect children's right to privacy. So while their stories are true, client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for understanding.

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Thanks to your generosity, we were able to rescue many boys from the street this month. They are in the process of completing the transition program and we hope to reintegrate them all with family in the coming months.

How You Can Help

If you'd like to support our COVID-19 efforts and/or our ongoing family reunification work, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift. 

Thank you!

COVID-19 Rescue/Update

In Kenya, coronavirus cases continue to rise and last week the government announced that schools will remain closed until at least January 2021. At Shelter, we are complying with all government regulations to ensure the safety of our staff and children.

In many ways, our routines at Shelter have gotten back to "normal"--with the addition of social distancing, masks, and regular temperature and symptom checks. We remain committed to our ultimate goal of returning children to their families and communities. This means that all of our onsite programs have resumed (academics, counseling, recreation), and our staff has continued to conduct street work, home visits, reintegrations and and follow-ups with extra precautions.

With school closures, and the the continued devastation of the economy, we are seeing a sharp increase in the number of children on the streets.

To do our part, we are making plans to do another rescue of 25 boys from the streets next month. In order to comply with government guidelines, we will have to move the 26 boys currently at the Shelter to an outside facility for two weeks while we quarantined the new boys and staff at Shelter.

Following Up

The children and families we serve typically require support and follow-up after they return home. Our goal is always to do our best to not just get the child off the street and home with their families, but to ensure that they continue to succeed at home and not relapse back to the street. This requires our staff to be very connected to the families and also to the street, as in the case of Jacob.*

Jacob is one of our carpentry students who returned home to his family in March per government instructions. Jacob has been doing well at home according to his mother and has been helping her around the house with chores and his siblings. Our social worker follows up with the family weekly and no problems were reported.

Jacob with his mother

However, one of our staff members learned through another follow-up call that Jacob had been spotted in town with a group of street boys. Our street officer was able to take swift action and go to meet him in town. He learned that Jacob had a conflict with his father and instead of returning home the previous night, he decided to go back to the street.

Our staff was able to talk with Jacob's mom and work with the family to solve the problem and get him back home. Thanks to the consistent follow-up and quick response of our team, Jacob only spent a few days on the street instead of completely relapsing.

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Thanks to your generosity, we are continuing monthly food distributions during this time of financial insecurity and instability.

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How You Can Help

If you'd like to support our COVID-19 efforts and/or our ongoing family reunification work, you can submit a one-time or recurring monthly gift. 

Thank you!

Returning Home

About 2 months ago, we did an emergency rescue in Nakuru. The boys have been doing well and working through our rehabilitation program at Shelter, which includes counseling, life skills and remedial education. Typically, we would do an home tracing visit for each boy about 1 month after arrival, in order to connect with his family. However, due to continued government restrictions we were unable to do so until about 2 weeks ago, when the government granted us permission to begin family visits with certain precautions in place.

Since then, more than half of the boys have been able to visit their families, and our team has started compiling family histories and working towards reunification with the boys and their families.

Stephen* (left) with his siblings and mother on his initial home visit. His family was overjoyed when they saw him.

Stephen* is one of the boys who had his initial home visit this week. He left home back in February after he took some money without permission and feared punishment. This was the first time he had ever run away and his family was devastated. They searched for him day and night and even filed a police report hoping that someone would be able to locate him.

When Stephen and the social worker arrived at Stephen's home, his mother and siblings jumped up and down with joy. His mother held him close and praised God for bringing her baby back home. She said that she had been praying every day for his safe return and God had finally answered her prayers. After spending some time together with the family, she took our social worker and the boy around to all of her friends and neighbors who have been searching and praying along for with her for all of these months. The community was overjoyed to see that Stephen was safe and healthy, and had an impromptu thanksgiving service!

We anticipate that Stephen and his family will be ready to be reunited soon, and we plan to keep working with all of them to facilitate a positive reunification as soon as it is safe and possible.

*At Naivasha Children's Shelter, we respect children's right to privacy. So while their stories are true, client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for understanding.

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We are so grateful for our partner, Lachen Lernen Wachsen, who generously donated new laptops and the resources for a full update to our social work office, allowing our team to more easily access online tools and records.

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A Change in Plans

We had planned to do an additional rescue this month, but unfortunately, due to added government restrictions and limited testing capabilities, those plans have been put on hold for now.

However, our street officer, Elphas, is still hard at work building relationships with boys in town, and as soon as it is safe and approved to do so, we will resume rescues.

How You Can Help

We are continuing our support of the boys at Shelter as well as those at home with their families. Many families have been unable to resume work due to COVID-19 restrictions, so we are distributing food to on a monthly basis during this season.

Please consider helping us cover these extra expenses with a one-time or recurring monthly gift as we continue this very important work.

Checking In And Following Up

It's been over two months since we started this time of social distancing and isolation and, like the rest of the world, many of our rhythms and routines have changed quite a bit. 

If you remember, the government asked us to send as many boys as possible back to their families back in March. Though this was unexpected and the families had not fully prepared for their children to be at home, our staff worked diligently to ensure success at home during this time of uncertainty. This has included phone calls and check-ins several times a week, and we are happy to report that all the boys are doing well at their homes.

Because we have been following these boys closely, as well as other reintegrated boys, our team was able to identify those families who have been most impacted by the economic struggles from COVID-19. Some have lost their jobs, or are overwhelmed with feeding the extra children at home who would normally be in school. Thankfully, due to the generosity of our donors and partners, we have done two monthly drop-offs of food and other essentials to 20 families, who reside all over the country. 

We will continue to do regular follow-ups until those boys at home can return to complete their course or schooling. We are so proud of them and their families for staying positive and working together during this time.

Kelvin, one of our school-going boys, has been enjoying time at home with his family, who were very appreciative for our donation of food and toiletries.

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Follow Us On Instagram!

We've recently revived our Instagram account, @shelteryetu, and we've been posting updates on life at Shelter. Make sure you are following us for the latest news!

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Post-Quarantine at Shelter

Merging the New and the Old

We are thankful that after we rescued the new group of boys from the street and quarantined them with our staff, no one showed any symptoms of illness after two weeks. Earlier this month, we were able to bring the boys and staff who were moved to a local camp back to Shelter, and the time since then has been spent working with all the boys to divide up responsibilities and learn to work together as a new group. The new boys have started their transition program and the older residents have resumed their academic program. They are all doing very well and we look forward to beginning initial home visits once government restrictions are lifted.

"Old" and "new" boys enjoying a recent hike

Rainy Days

It is rainy season in Kenya, and April was a month of exceptionally heavy storms. The road and bridge that connects us to town became impassable due to the damage from the rising river during the time we were quarantining with the new boys, making it difficult to get supplies for Shelter. 

Our staff and boys decided to get creative, and built a small bridge structure so that motorbikes and bicycles could pass over the gap created by the water damage. Now we are able to get supplies in town much more easily, and our neighbors are very grateful as well.

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How You Can Help

Our team continues to support the boys living at Shelter as well as those at home with their families. With so many struggling due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are increasing our usual support to families with reintegrated children at home.

Please consider helping us cover these extra expenses with a one-time or recurring monthly gift as we continue this very important work.

Unexpected Blessings

Emergency Rescue

A few weeks ago, we were asked by the Kenyan government to do an emergency rescue. 

The children living on the streets were really suffering as they had been pushed out of the city, and had nowhere to go during curfew. No one was willing to give them food, and they had no sanitation. To make matters worse, the rainy season has just begun and the children were left without shelter during the rains. 

With the current coronavirus pandemic, we knew it would be a big undertaking to ensure the boys currently at shelter, the new boys, and all of our staff would be safe.

Our staff sprang into action, and soon we found a place to move twelve boys and four staff, so that they would be safe and unexposed once we brought the new boys to Shelter. An additional eight staff members committed to staying at Shelter and caring for the 20-30 new boys that would be arriving.

Last week, we transferred the boys at  Shelter to a camp near Lake Naivasha and over the next few days, we welcomed 25 boys from the street. 

The boys and staff at Shelter are now being quarantined and monitored for 2 weeks. So far, no one has shown any symptoms, so we are hopeful that after the 2 weeks are over, all of our Shelter family will be back together again.

The new group of boys is doing well and adjusting to life at Shelter. They have been learning to care for our animals and have taken on other Shelter responsibilities. 

Twenty-five boys, plus staff are currently quarantined at the Shelter. We hope to do home tracing and reunite them with family soon!

Rescue and Restore

Our Mission Remains The Same

Though this rescue was unplanned, we remain committed to changing lives and reuniting families. We intend for all of these boys to go through our transition and counseling program, and our hope is that they will be reunited with their families at a safe and appropriate time.

As always, the boys burned their old clothes upon arrive at the Shelter to signify a new beginning in life.

Thankful

It is not possible for us to express how thankful and proud we are of our staff. In this difficult season, they have been working extended hours, away from their families, to continue to provide a safe environment for the boys in our care, both at Shelter and at the YMCA camp. They have done so with amazing attitudes, despite the risk to themselves. 

Their dedication and commitment to changing lives is unparalleled, and we want to say a big "thank you!" to each of them. 

We also want extend a huge "thank you" to all of our partners who have continued to support with us to rescue children from the streets and restore families. During this difficult time, we are more grateful than ever for your sacrificial giving that allows us to serve street-connected children and their families! 

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How You Can Help

There are so many ways our team is serving the community at this time. In addition to the emergency rescue and relocation of our current residents, we are continuing to provide food and other necessities to the families of boys who have returned home.

Please consider helping us cover these extra expenses with a one-time or recurring monthly gift as we continue this very important work.

A Very Special Reunion

This week, we got to experience a very exciting reunion for one of the boys in our care.

When Titus was a young boy, his parents separated and while he first went to stay with his father and stepmother, after some time his maternal grandmother removed him from the father’s home and cut all contact with family members on his father’s side.

While living with his grandmother, Titus began to be influenced by older boys near his home and eventually went to the streets, where he was picked up by police and referred to Shelter by the children’s office in November 2019.

After our social work team diligently traced Titus’s family, they were able to connect with his paternal grandparents and last month, Titus visited with them for the first time in years. They knew where his father was staying and promised to arrange a visit soon.

When we began implementing the government directives regarding the coronavirus last week, Titus was absolutely thrilled to learn that he would be going to spend time with his grandparents. Upon arrival to the home, his grandfather informed us that Titus’s father was traveling from another area of Kenya so that he could see his son for the first time in almost 8 years. He arrived shortly thereafter and Titus and his father were both grinning from ear to ear. They are excited to spend the upcoming weeks together and work towards a permanent reunion in the near future.

Titus has a smile that lights up any room, and today it shone even brighter. Thanks to our incredible team for their hard work in these stressful times (and always!) that makes stories like this possible.

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New Normal

How We're Staying Safe at Shelter During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Like the rest of the world, the COVID-19 virus has changed our regular rhythms at Shelter. As of today, Kenya has only confirmed 15 cases of the virus, but our government has issued important directives to citizens to prevent it from spreading further. Here's what is happening in Kenya:

• All schools have been suspended until further notice.

• Public gatherings of any kind are being discouraged.

• Public transportation like buses and matatus have been given passenger limits and are required to sanitize and provide sanitizer to passengers.

• Child care institutions such as ours have been directed to send as many children as possible back to their homes.

• Citizens are being urged to practice social distancing and good hygiene habits.

These are the measures we've taken at Shelter:

• Per the government directive, we returned 14 boys to their homes in personal vehicles last week.

• All non-essential staff will be working from home until further notice and will continue to support our families with frequent phone follow-ups. 

• For the essential staff and boys who remain at Shelter, we've installed handwashing stations and are practicing extra hygiene and sanitizing measures.

• No visitors will be allowed at Shelter during this time. Any support staff (i.e. security personnel) who enter our grounds will be required to wash and sanitize themselves before coming on duty.

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How Are We Doing?

We are all doing well at Shelter and because of our location, we are at a very low risk of the virus affecting us here. We have 14 boys and 5 staff remaining at this time. With limited staff, our transition and academic programs are on hold, but we are engaging in many creative activities with the boys. They have really enjoyed painting with watercolors, playing sports, and watching movies. We are also using this time to work on various projects around our campus.

Our spirits are high and we are grateful for our safety and health in these uncertain times. We are also continuing to monitor the situation on the streets, and are ready to step in when help is needed. 

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How You Can Help

In addition to our ongoing rescue and rehabilitation work, we are actively working to help support boys who are still living on the street as well as those boys who have returned home. Because of the virus, these already vulnerable populations are at more risk than ever and we are committed to getting as many as we can back to their homes and out of harm's way. 

Please consider a one-time or recurring monthly gift to help support us as we continue this very important work.

Checking In On Our New Approach

"I'm Ready to Change My Life"

Checking In On Our New Approach

Last month, we shared with you that we had begun smaller, more frequent rescues throughout the year, with the intention to rescue and reunite more boys with their families in 2020. 

Now, a little more than a month into our new approach, we've been able to rescue 12 boys from the streets of Naivasha and Nakuru...12 boys who have committed to taking the first step in changing their lives.

When the boys arrive at Shelter, they immediately join the ongoing rehabilitation program that includes a variety of therapeutic, academic, and recreational development activities. During the 4 weeks they are participating in the program, they are also working with our social work team to think through the choices they made prior to going to the streets and start preparing themselves to return home.

Our first January arrivals are finishing up their rehabilitation program now, and we have started taking them on home visits to begin the process of family reunification. Each case will be looked at individually as we strive for a safe and successful reintegration for each boy in our care.

Boys enjoying a volleyball game during recreation time at Shelter

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Patrick: A Fresh Start

Patrick came to Shelter in October 2019 after being rescued from the streets of Naivasha. For the past few years, Patrick had been running from home frequently and would often spend days, weeks, even months on the street. According to him, there were no major issues at home, but he was disinterested in school and feared punishment for his truancy and running away, so he generally stayed away from home.

After completing the rehabilitation program at Shelter, Patrick, accompanied by a Shelter social worker, traveled to his family's home. They were overjoyed to see him. His parents expressed that they loved him dearly, but felt helpless to control his behaviors. They were happy to hear that he was committed to changing his life and they promised to help him and receive him home whenever he was ready.

Patrick began short home visits, and his family was so proud of the progress he had made. He was no longer rebelling against his parent's rules or running to the streets. He was helpful around the house and loved playing with his siblings on visits.

Patrick and his family determined that they were all ready for him to come home for good, and in December 2019, he returned home to stay.  

Since then, his family reports that he continues to do very well, both at home and at school, where he was re-enrolled in January. During our last follow-up visit, he shared that he was number 14 of 86 students in his class.

Patrick and his family are so grateful for a new beginning, and we are grateful that we were able to assist them.

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Thanks to Kentalya Limited, for being one of our most faithful donors each year, and for helping us to set up our new beekeeping project and train our staff. This will provide us not only with delicious honey at Shelter, but will also teach our boys and staff more about protecting the bee population and how they help the environment.

Thank You!

Your support has given us the ability to rescue 12 boys in just one month, and provide frequent follow-up to families like Patrick's as they adjust to life back back together. Thank you for allowing us to do this extremely important work. If you aren't already, would you consider a one-time or recurring monthly gift to help support us?

A New Year, a New Approach...

New Year, New Approach

Rescuing MORE children from the streets and reuniting them with family.

In 2019, Shelter began our Individual Rehabilitation Program (IRP), and in 2020, we are committed to continuing our individualized approach to family reunification.

In the past, we have held one rescue in the beginning of the year, and reintegrated any boys who were ready at the end of the year. However, as we have learned more about working with street-connected children and families, we have adjusted our program so that no child stays on the street or in care one day longer than necessary.
 

What changes does that bring for our program?

• Multiple rescues during the year instead of just one.  In 2019, we had a rescue in March and another in October. Moving forward, we aim to have multiple, smaller rescues throughout the year. When a boy is ready to leave the street, we will bring him to Shelter immediately.

• Reintegration as soon as the boy and his family are ready. As we prepare boys and families for reintegration, our social workers will complete a Child Status Index tool to assess the readiness of both parties. This tool measures not only on the family’s ability to provide for the child’s needs, but also how the boy and family are feeling emotionally about a return home. As soon as a safe and healthy reunification is possible, the boy will return home. For some, that may be just a month or two; for others, longer. But each case will be assessed individually. A social worker will also follow up with school and home visits until the child finishes school, or reaches the age of 18. 

• New roles for the social work team. With the increase in staffing, each social worker now has a more specific and dedicated role. For example, our street welfare officer will be in the streets several days a week building relationships with boys and bringing them to Shelter, while another social worker will focus solely on follow-up with boys who have already returned home.

We have already seen a great success with this new approach. We are very pleased that these program changes will allow us to serve even more children and families in the future!

With our new approach, we hope to rescue 3-4 boys a week until we reach capacity. Please welcome John, Francis, Patrick, and Michael to Shelter! They joined us this month and are currently completing the rehabilitation program.

Dennis: A Journey Home

Meet Dennis

Every child in our care has their own unique story, and the plan of action is often different for each boy. Rather than assume we know the best way forward for everyone, we work closely with each family to determine what is best for all of them.

Dennis came to Shelter in 2016. The oldest of three, Dennis struggled at home with his grandmother, uncle, and his very ill mother. He loved his family dearly, and felt pressure to go to the street to avoid burdening them further.

He was 14 years old when he arrived at Shelter, but had no formal education. Though he was significantly older than his peers at school, Dennis never complained. He continued to work hard and diligently completed 3 years of education while at Shelter, as we continued to work with his family to prepare to receive him back home.

In 2017, less than a year into his time at Shelter, Dennis received the news that his mother had passed away. He was devastated but more determined than ever to succeed in school and one day help support his family.

Dennis knew that because of his advanced age, he likely would not complete his education all the way through secondary school. But he set realistic goals and studied hard so that he would get as much as possible from his years in school.

In late 2019, at 17, Dennis was satisfied that he had reached his goal of reading and writing well enough to be successful in his future endeavors. Along with his family, and with the support of Shelter, he made the decision to return home and pursue a course in mechanics. His uncle worked with other family members to relocate Dennis closer to a town where he can receive the best training. 

He recently started his training course, and we have no doubt that he will work hard and one day use his skills to support himself and his family.

Lots of preparation goes into welcoming new boys to Shelter! Each child, upon arrival, is provided with a mattress, blanket, bedsheets, shoes, a pair of socks, sandals, sports shoes, three pair of trousers, three shirts, two vests, three pairs of underwear, a belt, two jackets, tooth brush, toothpaste, lotion, bath soap, two handkerchiefs, one t-shirt and mosquito net, a bar of laundry soap and a backpack.

Thank You!

Your gifts allow us to reunite boys like Dennis with their families and, with our new approach, will help us to rescue and reunite more boys than any year in our history. Would you consider a one-time or recurring monthly gift to help support the important work we are doing in Kenya?

Celebrating 2019!

Merry Christmas From Shelter!

Earlier this month, we celebrated with current and former Shelter boys at our annual Christmas party. The party is a time to celebrate all of our successes, honor our staff, and provide gifts of clothing and shoes to each boy. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season from all of us!

Home For Christmas

Meet Samuel

Samuel came to the streets in February 2018. He chose to drop from school and did not want to face consequences at home, so he ran away from his family to Nakuru town, where he sold plastic and scrap metal to survive. He was living on the streets for about a year when he met a Shelter social worker who encouraged him to leave the streets and return home. He came to Shelter in March 2019 and began the rehabilitation program.

Once at Shelter, Samuel worked with staff to reconnect with his family and start the process of reunification. He had several short visits with his family and discussed his future plans with his parents. His mother and father were very happy to welcome him back and began saving money for Samuel to take a mechanics training course. In August 2019, Samuel returned home and began his training. His trainer reports that he is reliable, hardworking, and never misses a day of work.

His family is overjoyed to have him home, and looking forward to celebrating the holidays together as a family.

Samuel's father visiting him at his training center

Celebrating our Wonderful Staff!

Our ever-growing staff, who keep Shelter running smoothly!
Front Row: Paul, ChaCha, Peter, Isaiah, Daniel, Ann, and Naomi
Back Row: Mary, Benard, Elphas, and Francis

We are so grateful for another year to do this incredible work of reuniting families and communities. This holiday season, we'd like to honor some of our most faithful and longstanding donors: Thijs Grimbergen, Kentalya Ltd Farms, and Baptist Global Response.

Each of these individuals/organizations have supported our various programs year after year. Without their support, our training courses in carpentry and welding would not be thriving, and we would not be celebrating the reunification of about 40 families this year. 

Thank you for your generous and faithful support - we look forward to celebrating many more years of Shelter successes with you!

Thank You!

2019 was an incredible year for us. We rescued 41 boys from the street and reintegrated 38 back to their families. With your help, we hope to increase those numbers significantly in 2020!  There are still a few days left this year to support our work with a tax-deductible gift, as little as $20 a month can help reunite a boy with his family. 

Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow

Meet Our New Leaders!

John (Games Captain), John (Lower Dorm Prefect), Joseph (Dining Prefect), Brian (Head Boy), Kelvin (Environmental Prefect), Josphat (Upper Dorm Prefect), and Joseph (Assistant Head Boy)

This month, our boys held elections for leadership positions at Shelter. This is an important process in life here. 

When the boys are on the street, perhaps unbeknownst to them, they are learning valuable leadership skills. They have to work together to survive and protect each other. Often, natural leaders emerge and play a crucial role in life on the streets. Once coming to Shelter, we see those same leaders rise up and take on additional responsibility here.
 

During the election process, three candidates are nominated for each position and then those candidates are able to give a speech and answer questions from the other boys. Then, a vote is taken and the boys with the most votes are elected to the leadership positions at Shelter. As leaders, they help settle disputes among the boys and make sure things run smoothly. 

Allowing the boys to choose their leaders empowers them and gives them a sense of ownership over all of the responsibilities at Shelter. The seven boys who were elected take their roles very seriously, and are highly respected by their peers. Congratulations to each of them!

Meet Our Head Boy, Brian

Brian was overwhelmingly elected by his peers to be our new head boy.

Brian was rescued in October after spending about 9 months on the street. He arrived at Shelter, ready to take a course in carpentry and welding. His positive attitude and strong work ethic have been praised by both staff and other boys.

The responsibilities of a Head Boy are many -- Brian must assign duties, correct and instruct his peers, and often work with staff to implement any changes or discipline that may be necessary. More than that, the Head Boy is expected to set an example in the way he speaks, acts, and interacts with others.  

When asked why he wanted to be Head Boy, Brian said, "I want to show the other boys at Shelter the best way to act. I want to be a good leader and help the teachers."  

We are confident Brian will lead his peers well in this very important role.

Carpentry Update: Sammy

Sammy was rescued by Shelter three times, the first being in 2016. Though he never had any trouble at Shelter, the strong pull of his former life eventually caused him to relapse in both 2016 and 2017. But even back on the street, our staff continued to build a relationship with him, encouraging him to leave life on the street for good. In April 2018, he was ready and he came to Shelter for the last time. 

Over the next year and a half, he never again left for the street. He worked diligently in his carpentry and welding course, and proved to be one of the brightest students in the class. He often spoke of his transformation, crediting Shelter for never giving up on him, even when he had given up on himself.

Sammy graduated from our carpentry program in August and returned home to begin his carpentry apprenticeship. His trainer reports he is an excellent worker, punctual and motivated. He has already been offered a position in the workshop upon completion of his apprenticeship and carpentry licensing exam!

We could not be prouder of Sammy. His story is a good reminder that everyone deserves a second (or third, or fourth...) chance.

Thank You!

During this season of Thanksgiving, we are grateful for each of you. The generous donations we receive allow us to continue to do this important work in the lives of boys like Brian, Sammy and others. If you'd like to support our work, as little as $20 a month can help reunite a boy with his family. 

Karibu Shelter!

We were happy to welcome this group of 16 boys to Shelter in October

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.

A big part of our rehabilitation program is giving the boys time to explore different creative outlets. This group in particular has some very talented artists!

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. 

A Family At Last

A Miracle For Kelvin

Kelvin with his family after a miraculous reintegration earlier this month

This month, we witnessed something truly special. After almost a decade of living in our care, Kelvin was reunited with his family!

Kelvin was referred to us by another rescue center in 2010 when he was only 6 years old. He had been picked up after he and his siblings were caught begging in town. It was discovered that they had been abandoned by their mother and no other family was able to be traced. Kelvin was admitted to Shelter while his brothers were assisted by other well-wishers. The referring organization gave us very little information on his family and their whereabouts, so despite our efforts, we were unable to trace his brothers or other family. After some time, our staff gave up hope that we could trace his family.

Kelvin as a young boy at Shelter

Kelvin is an exceptionally bright, respectful, and motivated young man. During his time at Shelter, he has consistently been at the top of his class in school and one of the leaders among the boys. He was a model student and beloved by the staff and boys at Shelter, but still he longed for a family.

When we began reunification in 2014, our team tried without success to find his family. Last year, Isaiah, one of our social workers, began frequenting his home area asking neighbors about the boy, and utilizing social media to search for any leads.

Miraculously, Isaiah was able to find Kelvin's older brothers. They were overjoyed to hear that he was safe and doing so well. They told Isaiah they suspected he was at a center, but they didn't know where and they feared looking for him as they thought they could be held liable for his abandonment. They were able and willing to care for him, and so we began frequent visits to reestablish their relationship and prepare everyone for reunification.

This month, after determining that everyone was ready for a safe reintegration, Kelvin went to live with his brothers permanently. He will continue his studies from there, and he and his family are so grateful for this miracle that brought them back together.

Carpentry Update: Paul

It's hard to believe our carpentry and welding graduates have been doing their apprenticeships for over a month now. We are so proud of each of their progress, and our staff continues to check on them weekly as they are training.

Paul and his two younger brothers have stayed at Shelter multiple times in the past few years. Their mother is ill and unable to work, and poverty has contributed to the boys returning to the streets to beg for food.

Paul came back to Shelter last year determined to learn a skill so that he could help provide for his family and make sure his brothers could attend school. He was one of the top performers in the carpentry class at Shelter, and has brought that same drive and determination into his new workshop. His trainer had nothing but wonderful things to say about his progress when our social worker visited him this week.

Next month, we will be welcoming about 10 new boys to Shelter to start a course in carpentry and welding. We are busy preparing for their arrival and can't wait to share more with you in next month's newsletter!

Thank You!

Stories like Kelvin's and Paul's simply would not be possible without your partnership. We are so very grateful for you. If you'd like to support our work, as little as $20 a month can help reunite a boy with his family.

Goodbyes and Transitions

Home For Good

David, Nelson M., Nelson K., and Isaac prepare to leave Shelter and return home. They, along with 8 other carpentry/welding students, completed their courses at Shelter this week. Now they will return home to their families and complete an apprenticeship at a local workshop before transitioning into full-time work. We are so proud of them and wish them all the best!

The Gift Of Knowledge

August has been a busy month at Shelter! One of our partners, Baptist Global Response, sent a team of wonderful volunteers to train and teach our boys.

Bruce and Matt spend a week and half training 16 boys and staff in MIG welding, a skill that will be incredibly useful for our departing boys as they seek work in the future.

Their wives, Nenna and Sue, spent countless hours teaching our 2019 rescue group, everything from math to calligraphy to the meaning of the different names of God.

We are so grateful for the time they have spent investing in our program, and happy to welcome them into the Shelter family. A big thank you to Baptist Global Response for their continued partnership.

In addition to our carpentry/welding students, we will be reuniting an additional 7 boys with their families at the end of the month. Our staff has been working diligently with the boys on their academics so that they will be prepared to rejoin school in September.

Thank You!

During this time of transition, as we send each boy off and prepare to welcome a new group of boys from the street, we are more thankful than ever for your support. These reunifications would not be possible without your generous donations. We cannot thank you enough for allowing us to do this very important work. Don't forget to follow our Facebook page for real-time updates on the program and how you can continue to support us!

A Life Changed: Joseph

In July, 20 parents/guardians of our boys attended our parents' meeting at the Shelter. The purpose of the meeting was to explain the work of the Shelter to the parents and to help prepare them for reunification.

Elphas, one of our social workers, shared about the importance of family, including parental affection, emotional security, and promoting a sense of belonging at home.

Mama George shared how she travelled two days to attend the meeting. "I can never forget you because of all you have done for my son," she said. "When I didn't know how to help him, Shelter was there to help."

Have a look at these photos--beautiful families that would still be separated without the work of the Shelter and the support of our generous donors!

A Life Changed: Joseph

Joseph's father died when he was young. His mother left him and his brother with his grandmother. His grandmother, who works in a quarry, did her best to take care of the boys.

One week in 2016, the grandmother struggled to sell the stone, and was unable to provide food for her grandsons. Nine-year-old Joseph thought it best to leave home and try to make it on his own. Joseph spent three years on the streets selling scrap metal and charcoal to survive. In March, he was rescued by Shelter social workers.

After two months of rehabilitation at the Shelter, and several visits with his grandmother, it was determined that she is now more stable, and able to care for the boy. The boy was reunited with his grandmother in July, and is now attending school! Last week, one of our social workers visited Joseph at school and was happy to hear that he is doing well, and catching up with his classmates.

If you'd like to help change the lives of more boys like Joseph, you can contribute to the work of the Shelter at www.shelteryetu.org/donate.

Did you know we have two greenhouses at Shelter? Our staff and boys plant many crops throughout the year, and everything we produce is completely organic and chemical-free. And our greenhouses go a long way in keeping 50 boys fed!

The spinach we planted in our greenhouse last month is now thriving, thanks to the watchful eye of Paul, one of our dedicated staff members.

Bringing Bryann Home

Welcome Home, Bryann!

Bryann ran away from home to the streets of Naivasha in February. Bryann's parents and the village elders were surprised by his departure and told Shelter staff that he ran away without a good reason. He was reported to the government as a lost child and his family even used local media stations to try and spread the word and bring him home safely. They went as far as to visit the local mortuary, believing their son to be dead. After Bryann's disappearance from home, his mother developed high blood pressure because of the stress of losing the boy and his father was fired from his job after failing to report to work.

A quiet and well-mannered boy, Bryann struggled with the harsh realities of life on the street.  In March, he was befriended by Shelter social workers and agreed to leave the streets behind and come to Shelter. After a few weeks at Shelter, one of our social workers accompanied Bryann to his home for a visit.

When they arrived, the social worker reported an experience he had never seen before--all the women and children of the village broke out in joyful tears upon seeing their lost son return home. Soon after, people started streaming from the nearby villages, thanking God for his safe return.

The next day, Bryann's father and some members of the community traveled to Shelter to express their thanks and bring him home for good.

Stories like Bryann's embody the mission and vision of our program...restoring families and bringing hope to desperate situations.

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Changing the way we think about reintegration…

Bryann's story highlights the heart behind our new approach to reuniting boys with their families. Since 2014, we have built our program around the truth that the very best place for a child is in a family. We have typically operated on a one-year cycle, rescuing a large group of boys early in the year and aiming to reintegrate them by the end of the year.

However, as we've learned over the years, some families need more time to work towards reunification and some, like Bryann's, are ready much sooner.

Our goal is for boys to be away from family and home not one day longer than necessary. We are so proud of the work we are doing at Shelter, but our true success is in reuniting boys with their families as soon as it is safe and everyone involved is ready. Whether that's 2 months or 18 months from rescue, we want to be sensitive to the needs of each child in our care.

So this year, as always, we'll be working closely with boys and their families on an individual basis as they go through rehabilitation. We will create an individual rehabilitation plan for each boy, along with the family, and reunite boys throughout the year. This will also allow us to rescue new children from the streets throughout the year, serving even more boys, families, and communities.

Celebrating Our Success Since 2014

109 boys rescued from the streets.

93 boys reunited with their families.

26 boys fully trained in carpentry, and placed in a job.

Your support is key in changing the lives of these precious young men. We look forward to sharing many more success stories in the months and years to come!