ACHILDREN HOME IS AHOME AND FAMILY

With the understanding that institutional care presents more challenges to children compared to when they are raised in normal families- And appreciating that circumstances beyond anyone’s intervention continue to lead Children to be in institutions around the world- Lift the Children supported institutions are keen on ensuring that even for a single day that children might find themselves in an institution- They can have the best care and support available.

In todays post we highlight how Swabur Children Home is supporting and making their centre to feel like home and family.

The manager and director shared with LTC how they do it

Question- What is a a children Home in your understanding?

Answer:  A children home is a large house designated for a young people living together as a group with professional staffs to look after them. In our home we perform different activities for instance

Question- How do you ensure you share and support one another as families do?

Answer : We have grouped our children in three categories that is the minor , middle class and the youths ,we have organized sessions in which in these groups we share our problems , challenges and even the achievements. Each and every child is given the opportunity to talk and air out his or her views . by so doing we reach a positive consensus.

Question- Do you ever have good times and how do you approach them?

Answer: YES!!!!!!! We make sure to celebrate one another especially when they perfoam well in school or achieve something of significance- For instance as a home we have organized for our kids a token of appreciation for any one who performs well in school . We usually organize a party for all of them to motivate them and encourage them to add in more effort .Also special days and during the festive seasons e.g iddul-fitr we make sure that we celebrate them the best way we can. During such day we might  take our children out for a picnic like wild waters , go to the beach or other enjoyable places. just like families would do on such occassions.

Question- Children are blessed differently how do you ensure each child becomes the best?

Answer: In our home we have a home time table and we have a cultural day which consist of different tribes e.g luhyas practices their traditional songs, the giriamas , the akambas and the luos .By so doing we are able to identify different talents in different kids,as we help to nurture them. We also organize and participate in local talent activities working together with other community based organizations. This ensures that children in our home who have talents can showcase it to a bigger audience.

Question- How do you deal with hard times like sickness and so forth

Answer: There are many hard times- for instance during a rainy season,  water overflows in to our home. In the event this happens we ensure that all the kids are transferred into a rental house until the calamity is over . Sickness being inevitable, we as a home came up with a NHIF card program, where every child has a card .All the kids are registered using homes card . Bearing their NHIF card numbers. This really helps with medical bills. But we pray together on a daily basis and support one another emotionally when difficult times strike.

Question. Talk to us abour spiritual well being of everyone? 

Answer: As we receive children from  different faiths , we allow the Christian to go and pray in their church and Muslims to go to perform their salat in the mosques of which each group is accompanied by their spiritual leaders.In addition the kids are also given chances to recite the Quran for the Muslims and bible for the Christians .When they do so they strengthen their faith in God .

Question: Anaything else you want to us?

Answer:  As a home we have planned for the kids to visit different homes or institutions far away from their Swabur home . By so doing they are able to learn more and interact with different kids of different characters..This supports sharing ideas ,challenges ,weaknesses and achievements.  By so doing they are able to acquire new skills that helps them in their day to day activities.

You can reach out and learn even more about Swabur Children Home on the contacts below.

SWABUR ORPHANAGE HOME,

P.O BOX, MOMBASA-KENYA EMAIL: [email protected]

DIRECTOR: MUKOYA ALHAJI.

TEL:0745169805/0727713995