The government has been urged to reconsider the planned phasing out of private children’s homes, as doing so might lead to children sliding back to destitute.
The government, through the National Council for Children’s Services, has been implementing Foster Care Reforms since 2022 to allow children to grow up in family-oriented environments, which are considered more beneficial for their social and emotional development.
The reforms are expected to be implemented by 2032, and children currently hosted in children’s homes will be placed in family- and community-based care.
Founder of Child of Mercy Children’s Home in Likoni, Jessica Opisa said the home opened its doors 15 years ago with ten children, and over the years, the number has been growing. Currently it is hosting 30 children.
The children are being provided with education, shelter, food, medical care, clothing, as well as guidance and counselling.
“We have had more children who have grown up and integrated back into the community and guardians,” stated Opisa, adding that the children are encouraged to work hard in school to excel in academics.
At the moment, she said, there is a challenge that the government is closing down children’s homes. “It’s a big challenge for us who are taking care of the children; imagine if the institution has been closed down where would these children go?” she posed.
“Some of these children come from the street, some of these children were abandoned, some of these children were sexually defiled by their real parents and now they are here being protected and safeguarded,” Opisa added.
She urged the government to rethink the closure plan saying taking the children to foster care homes under the current economic status will be hard.
“Who is going to foster a child, the environment here in Likoni I don’t think someone will be able to take care of the children because we also depend on well-wishers who come and support us with school fees and food,” she stated.
The Founder of the Child of Mercy Children’s Home noted that if the children are left to go back to the street, they will not be able to afford all their basic needs and may end up in the dumping sites to scavenge for food.
“The government has to look at that and provide for institutions like these because we know that the government has some resources to assist an NGO, a child here in Kenya. If they don’t, life is going to be a mess for our children,” she said when they received food and stationery donations from DDB—an advertising firm.
Philip Righa, the Local Manager of DDB, said as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility donated foodstuff, clothing and stationery.
He faulted the proposed plan to close children’s homes as many children have found solace in the homes.
“Where will these children go, because most of these children come from vulnerable and broken families,” said Righa. Closing down the homes, he added, will lead to a surge in the number of street urchins and the crime rate will also soar.
He urged the County and National government to find a way to support the homes to continue being a haven for children.
By Sadik Hassan
