The Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund has raised the red-flag over an increase in the number of street families in major towns in the country.
The fund blames the harsh economic times for the spike with Nairobi, Kakamega, Eldoret, Kisumu and Nakuru being the most affected.
The fund launched the street families policy that seeks to address challenges facing the families and ways of rescuing them from the streets.
During the launch at Lake Naivasha Resort, it emerged that the country does not have data on the number of street families.
Caroline Towett, the CEO of the fund, said the last census conducted in 2018 indicated that there were 46,000 families, with the numbers likely rising by over tenfold to date.
The CEO said that the government was keen to support the families through vocational training and job opportunities.
“We have seen the number of street families rise sharply in the last couple of years and this is mainly due to the harsh economic times and flooding,” she said.
Towett said that the new policy was not anchored in law, adding that plans were underway to engage Parliament so as to make it stronger.
Fund chairperson Mary Wambui said the government had set aside Sh65 million towards supporting the rising number of street families in the country.
Wambui said that the fund had acquired 20 acres in Machakos county to to construct a street families centre that will offer vocational courses.
“We shall use the centre to train and empower the rescued street families as one way of getting them out of the streets where they are undergoing untold suffering,” she said.
She attributed the rise in the number of families to poverty and failed marriages, with substance abuse worsening the current situation.
Lissel Mogaka from the Directorate of Social Development said they are working with county governments to address the current crisis.
“There are many challenges facing the street families and these can be resolved by involving all stakeholders including the county governments,” he said.
“Some of the challenges facing the families include early pregnancies and substance abuse and we are keen to rehabilitate them as part of our mandate,” said member of the board, Nancy Olanga.