Kenya (MNN) — Kenya is a poor country by UN standards, with more than 45 percent of the population living in abject poverty. In desperation, many children turn to the streets to find food to eat or safe place to live.
When Kids Alive International rescues these children, what they find is heartbreaking.
Purity Nyamu, National Director for Kids Alive Kenya, says, “They have gone through all manner of abuses — emotional, physical abuse, spiritual abuse — it’s just horrendous.”
(Image courtesy of Kids Alive International)
The children are placed in safe, loving residential care. There, they receive holistic attention – physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Purity says spiritual restoration is a top priority. “We share the Gospel with them, and our purpose is for the children to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s very fundamental to the ministry in Kenya and really to the whole of Kids Alive International ministry.”
Purity says education is also critical in the Kids Alive ministry in Kenya. “I strongly believe that education is key to giving these children an opportunity to walk away from poverty, really.”
If the child is in the safe care of a loving family member like a grandmother, rescue includes family preservation.
“While we are supporting the holistic care to the child, we are also supporting the grandmother so they begin earning an income or just becoming financially independent so they can support other children around them,” Purity continues.
(Image courtesy of Kids Alive International)
The care provided for the children and their families is supported in a unique way in Kenya – through the abundance of tomatoes.
A greenhouse effort started by the ministry is now providing tomato crops plentiful enough to feed the children and to be sold to local grocers and food providers.
The Kenyan government is using the greenhouse in agricultural training efforts as it learns how to produce large tomato yields with a small footprint.
Purity shares that local families are also learning how to farm, and small greenhouses are popping up across the landscape.
“We are seeing that families are becoming empowered, having enough to feed their families for the day, and keeping an income to buy other things like medical needs and other needs.”
When asked how Kids Alive’s efforts in Kenya may be supported, Purity says it begins and ends with prayer.
“We have been praying to just grow our facilities and grow our staff –grow to a capacity where we can rescue many more children, we can rescue many more families.”
Their website provides details on the nine Kenyan programs, along with ways to come alongside their ministry through sponsorship of the kids! It only costs $39 per month to sponsor a child.
Lord I pray that you must grow this ministry to rescue many more children in Kenya and all over the world