In a Nutshell

The streets of Nairobi are inhabited by thousands of homeless children.  They begin their life like many other children, but are for one reason or another driven to the street by harsh circumstances such as abuse, abandonment, being orphaned by HIV/AIDS among other reasons.  Sadly, the ultimate end of many of the children who remain on the street is involvement in crime, drugs and prostitution. The Coptic Church has been working informally for the past two years with children living on the streets of Nairobi and Kisumu, trying to provide emotional, spiritual and material support. However, it has become quite evident that there is a need for a permanent center in order to work with the children on a more consistent basis, and thus be able to rehabilitate them and better fulfill their needs. The Coptic Church has launched a daytime drop-in center in Nairobi called RAHA KIDS. The goal of RAHA’s program for each child is to be successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into society as a healthy and contributing member. The cornerstone of the program is education. By providing children with an education or vocational training, they are empowered to be productive and self-sufficient members of society. However, children that have been living on the street need a long process of rehabilitation in order to heal from their many emotional wounds, and to be motivated for a successful life off the streets. RAHA plans to accomplish this through the implementation of various program objectives. The starting point of the process is street outreach where the social worker meets the child in the street and invites them to the drop- in center.  When the child has decided to come, they are offered a variety of services to nourish their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual  needs.  In tending to the child’s physical needs, the center offers food, hygiene, clothing and basic first aid care onsite.  As for the mental stimulation, the children are offered non-formal education which parallels the courses taught at state schools, and vocational training for the older children who prefer to learn a trade.  The children are also allotted time for sports, art, praise and worship, and theatre, which all promote healthy and active lives.  These activities coupled with the counseling offered onsite, provide a holistic approach to rehabilitation and healing.  Finally as the child begins to enjoy and appreciate life off of the streets, we work on reuniting the child to his/her family or relatives.  If a suitable family cannot be found, a customized solution is developed in order to bring the child to eventual reintegration, such as placing the child in a foster family, boarding school or pursuing other options.

RAHA Kids

RAHA’s Mission Statement

RAHA KIDS fundamentally strives to restore the physical, emotional and spiritual health of children living on the streets who have been orphaned, abandoned, outcast, neglected, abused or otherwise exploited. RAHA KIDS is committed to reducing the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living on the streets in Kenya by dealing with each child according to his/her own needs, circumstances and challenges, and by devising a customized solution that can work for each child. RAHA endeavors to nurture in each child an environment of Christian love, security, productivity, social maturity, and an assurance of God’s love. 

Program Strategy Overview

The program is dedicated to the development of the child, from the first day of contact on the street until the day the child has graduated into society. Above all, the success of this program depends heavily on prayer, as we believe that it is only the grace of God that can change the hearts and attitudes of these children. Along with prayer, this challenging journey has been broken down into four strategic steps, as discussed below:

Step 1: Street Outreach

Social workers and staff make contact with children on the streets or in the slums and invite them to the drop-in center.   Children can also be referred to RAHA KIDS by the Children’s department and/or local police.

Step 2: Rehabilitation

When the street child begins to visit the drop-in center regularly, the trained caregivers and educators are able to establish a stable relationship with the child. The staff works enthusiastically in the areas of counseling, education, discipline and developing the child’s self esteem; essentially to socialize the child to be able to successfully operate in school, work, family and society at large.   

Step 3: Customized Solutions

When the child has been attending the drop-in center consistently and shows a positive change in their behavior and a true willingness to leave their street life, the social worker begins to explore a customized solution for the child.  For some children, reintegration into their family or extended family may be the solution. For others, it may be a foster family or boarding school. For others still, learning a trade may be the most suitable path.

Step 4: Reintegration

By the end of this four step process, children should be equipped with the skills they need in order to return to life outside of the drop-in center.  They are aided to establish themselves either in business, employment or educational attainment through the programs which will be discussed below.  Throughout all the stages, the program remains committed to the well-being of each child/youth, namely their physical, psychological, social and spiritual health.