About us

Mission & Vision

The mission of The Ruiru Rehabilitation Centre is to improve the welfare of the children living in the streets, of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and to provide education for children in especially difficult circumstances.

The Centre’s vision is a society free of street children, where all people take on responsibility to protect the rights and well being of children.

Our goal is to empower disadvantaged children, especially street children and orphans, by providing the resources and facilities they need to reach their full potential as individuals, in becoming productive and responsible members of society.

Sustainability

It is our desire to produce citizens that care about and understand the importance of environmental sustainability.

We help our kids become aware of their impact on their environment and understand their role and responsibility in protecting and conserving it.

One way for us to teach them sustainability is by living up to our own principles by being as green as possible. We collect rain water; we grow our own garden using compost and cow manure left by Masai cattle grazing on our property; we use solar panels to harness the power of the sun; we collect our plastic bags that we then bring to a neighboring plastic recycling plant; and we are in the process of building bio latrines.

We’re always looking for new ways to be green and greener - Got any ideas to share?

Write us!

History

The Ruiru Rehabilitation Center began as a community feeding programme in 1997 that sought to respond to a growing number of street children in Ruiru town who needed critical assistance. Local residents fed the children once or twice a week but soon realized that more organized support was needed.

In 1998, Mr. Kimani, a local businessman, responded by offering part of his estate and existing facilities as a temporary shelter. Soon, other generous donations ensued, giving birth to the Ruiru Rehabilitation Center.
In the years that followed, the center grew as more people became interested and involved locally and internationally. Altogether, friends and supporters of the center eventually raised enough funds to hire full-time staff and build a larger center, including two dormitories that can accommodate over 60 children.

In 2006, RRC purchased its own four acre plot. In order to utilize the space and many opportunities of this new land, the RRC Board decided to re-locate the children even though funds were not yet sufficient for the construction of permanent structures.

As a temporary measure, the board decided to build basic dormitories and a small hall on the new plot. The construction of these buildings was done with the financial support of different local and foreign donors.

The children moved to the new location in August 2007, excited about the larger space and new clean buildings. A large football pitch is already operational, and sheep have been bought to graze the plot. Future plans include the construction of permanent living quarters for which the board is currently raising money.

RRC Today

In 2009, Ruiru Rehabilitation Centre was home to 57 children (24 girls and 33 boys) aged between 6 to 18 years old. The board plans to expand and improve the facilities to welcome more children because several still live on the streets of Ruiru. The plan is to replace the current semi-permanent structures with larger and stronger environment-friendly buildings, converting the center into a “greener” home and providing better services.

About Street Children

Several of the center’s residents are former street children. By 1991, it was estimated there were 300,000 street children in (urban) Kenya. Street children cannot rely on their families to provide them with basic necessities in life. They live by their wits in the back alleys of huge cities and small towns, begging, scavenging, and prostituting themselves trying to survive.

Root Causes

There are several root causes of the street children phenomenon. The breakdown of the family structure is one of its main factors. Generally, Kenyan street children have been abandoned by their dysfunctional families or have run away to escape abuse, neglect, or violence. These family conditions are usually the result of extreme poverty, lack of parenting skills, substance abuse, and physical or mental disease of parents or relatives. When a family has lost its fundamental elements of welfare and well being, the family core is broken, and children are left to mend for themselves and too often end up living on the streets.

The HIV/ AIDS pandemic is also a contributing factor. It has orphaned many thousands of children, left them in poverty, or pushed them into child labour. UNICEF statistics report600,000 children have been orphaned by HIV /AIDS in Kenya and 700 Kenyans die every day from this pandemic.

Several of the Ruiru Rehabilitation Center’s kids have lost their relatives to HIV/AIDS.

Other factors feeding into the problem include teenage pregnancies, extra-marital relationships, pregnancies arising from rape or sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and a lack of communication at home and at school.

Precarious Living Conditions

Street children are exposed to a large number of health and safety hazards because of their lifestyle. These include malnutrition, violence, sexual abuse, and substance abuse. Many children also suffer from poor mental health due to ostracism, lack of love, insecurity, and emotional deprivation.

To help cope with their conditions, several street children resort to the use of drugs, and glue-sniffing is one of the most common addictions among them. Glue* is the cheapest hallucinogenic available on the streets of Kenya. It induces intense euphoria or even vivid hallucinations that momentarily help the the children forget hunger, thirst, and mental and physical pain. The toxic chemical content of the glue has harmful effects on the respiratory organs and the brain. Children can also be injured due to dangerous behavior while they are intoxicated.

*See “GLUE,” an award winning short-documentary by Joseph Cottrell-Boyce that explores the roots of widespread solvent dependence amongst Kenyan street children and captures the testimony of some of the kids residing at the Ruiru Rehabilitation Center.

Many street children are frequently abused physically and emotionally. Some of them have contracted STDs and AIDS. Their access to medical care is limited due to their lack of funds, information, awareness, or the lack of confidence in any public services and adults. Some even die on the streets from easily curable diseases.

More boys than girls are found living on the streets. Girls are generally more integrated into the family, as key members of the household. Girls are also aware they are much more vulnerable on the streets, which they often see as the very last option.

Sadly, street children are considered a nuisance and a threat to society. As a result, they are ignored and abandoned, and the authorities remain almost powerless to act. At times, the police round them up, and either lock them up in cells or hand them over to organizations that do not necessarily have the professional knowledge or expertise to deal with their complicated circumstances. These efforts do not address the root causes of the problem, and many of the children somehow find their way back to the streets, thus remaining in the vicious circle of street life.

It is the goal of centers like the Ruiru Rehabilitation Center to reach out to the most destitute children of Kenya and help them help themselves. Centers like ours focus on rehabilitating them, which means restoring the children’s’ dignity and self-confidence in a safe, loving, and nurturing environment that fosters growth through learning opportunities that will lead them to independence and self-reliance.

Acknowledgement: Hearing on Street Children in Nairobi, paper presented Nov.1994, chapters 1 & 2, pages 17 to 23.

Residents

In 2009, the centre was home to a total of 57 children, including 24 girls and 33 boys, the youngest child being 6 and the oldest 17 years old.

Boys and girls live in separate dormitories but share the main community hall, a space where they can study, eat, play and relax.

The majority of our children get their education off-site with the exception of a few young ones who are provided tutoring every day by the center’s specialized tutor. The others leave the center early morning to be at school on time. There is no transportation to school, which means the children must walk an hour to and from school every day, five days a week.

When back from school, they may spend some time relaxing, but they soon engage in several activities and chores, the older ones taking care of the younger children, and all helping maintain the center, preparing the meals and getting ready for the next day.

Weekends are dedicated to leisure and visits. This is also the time for children with living or known relatives to spend one or two days away from the center to reconnect with their families. On occasions, as part of the center entertainment and outreach program, the board members will organize day excursions or group outings to expose the kids to arts & culture, nature, and other new experiences meant to boost their self-esteem, broaden their minds, and inspire them.

The children are also exposed to the rearing and care of domestic animals: sheep, cats, dogs, and chicken, as well as to farming, recycling, waste management, rainwater collecting and sustainable living.

Staff

The center currently employs three staff, Patrick, Jane and Dorcas, who are dedicated to the children’s well being and safety and committed to ensure the children’s emotional, intellectual and social growth.

The staff maintains contact with the children’s known living extended family members, whenever possible, making regular home visits and keeping them updated on the progress of their children.

Patrick Irungu is the center’s resident art director and acting manager in charge of the overall supervision and running of the staff and the center. He is very active in local fundraising, as well as donor and community relations. He also teaches kids drumming and dancing as part of the arts program. Patrick regularly reports to board members to keep them updated on the children’s status.

Jane Naimutie is the resident coordinator. She oversees the well being of the children, supervises their activities, ensures they follow through with their daily responsibilities, and provides them with support and counseling. In addition, she co-manages donors and volunteer visits to the center.

Dorcas Wangui is the visiting tutor. She comes to the center daily to prepare younger children for primary school. She monitors their progress and also follows older children’s school performance, assisting them with their homework when needed.

Board

The RRC Board members supervise the staff, promote the center, and raise funds to run the center. The board consists of Kenyan nationals from the local community and expats from all corners of the world.

Partners & Donors

Since 1997, the center has depended 100% on regular partnerships and donations to cover its operating costs and provide children with daily necessities. Donors include local churches, academic institutions, businesses and social organizations, as well as foreign governments. Occasionally, private individuals will also offer funds, in-kind donations, and pro-bono services to fill in the gaps.