In a bid to reduce the upsurge in the number of street children in Nairobi, the national government today began a four-week exercise rapid response initiative rescue programme
The programme by the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRTF) rescued 30 children aged between eight and 14 years.
While launching the programme at Uhuru Park, SFRTF chairperson Mary Wambui said the programme targets to rescue at least 500 street children from Nairobi streets who had increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have today rescued 30 children but next week we target to rescue 200 of them. We have partnered with Kwetu Home of Peace in this exercise,” she said.
Once rescued, the children will be placed under various street families institutions in the city where they will undergo a three to nine months rehabilitation programme.
The first stop will be Madaraka home where they will stay for three months and afterwards taken to Ruai rehabilitation centre to get formal education.
Once the programme is complete, the children will be reintegrated back to the community.
The former Othaya MP also noted that the programme will support the parents of the reintegrated by giving them funds to support their children and start a small business.
“While in the centres, the children will go through formal and informal education which will assist them to gain life skills to better their lives,” Wambui noted.
Kwetu Home of Peace manager Sister Jane Rose Nyongesa disclosed that during the first week in the centres, the children will be detoxified and given new clothes.
“ At the centre they will undergo informal learning and counseling which will help identify and determine what level in terms of education they will be taken through for three months,” she said.
The informal learning, according to Sister Nyongesa will enable grouping of the children, according to the level they were before they dropped out of school and to identify those fit to undergo life skills training.
Home tracing will also run concurrently with the programme in order to facilitate rehabilitation of the children.
Those who dont have any relatives or guardians will be placed in homes until they attain 18 years.
Nairobi County leads in the number of street families estimated to be close to 60,000 although conservative figures by the government puts the numbers at 15,337.
The Consortium of Street Children in 2016 estimated that there are well over 60,000 street children in Nairobi alone.
The County Government of Nairobi plans to spend Sh40 million to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate atleast 300 street and other vulnerable children in Nairobi.
Consuming Sh5 million, Phase One will include rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration.
In Phase two, Sh3 million will be spent towards family reunification and integration, Sh2 million to supervise child care facilities and another Sh2 million to undertake trauma and therapy sessions.