The Mission

Who We Work With

Street Children

The name “street children” implies exactly what it states: children who are living on the streets. Understanding the degree to which these children suffer, however, is not explained.

Children live on the streets for a number of reasons. Many people assume the children are living without a home because they do not possess a family. Although it may come as a surprise, many street children do have families. The reasons for fleeing a home to live on the street varies for each individual. Many children flee due to the death of a parent; others leave their home due to severe physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. One-fact remains, regardless of the reason these children live in the streets, their lives now are anything but easy.

Each day depends on the basic needs to survive: water, food, and shelter. The typical morning for a street kid begins by begging. The street children will walk to areas of high congestion. The likelihood of receiving money or pick pocketing an individual are higher in these places. The risk each child faces is abuse. Security guards within the area will catch and beat the children for begging and/or pick pocketing. In some situations, the guard will take the street child to a police officer to be arrested. Street children also must avoid being abused by other street children. When trying to survive, one finds he/she will go to unbelievable lengths to live. Needless to say, danger and violence lurk around each corner.

The street child will typically buy shoe glue. The shoe glue is placed in a plastic bottle and sniffed throughout the day. The glue acts as a drug, which will curb hunger pains, give the child strength to beg, and dilute the memories of a once good life. Sadly, the glue kills brain cells and will eventually render the street child lifeless.

In the evening the street child will retire to the “base” which is the home for many street children and usually resides within trash dumpsites. Trash sites are used because trash can be utilized as an insulator from the cold or rain. Not to mention, food and sellable items can be found in the dumpsite.

It is estimated that 60,000 street children live in Nairobi an additional 190,000 live in the remaining parts of Kenya.

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