Target reached! Stretch target: £12,000
By helping to raise as much as possible, you can ensure we're in the strongest posit...
A Safe Space Away From The Streets
Mombasa, , Kenya
Aim: Help us to get the Dr Philip Conlong Centre, a safe space for street-connected children, ready for it’s opening in May!
About us
At Chance for Childhood we believe that no child should be forgotten. That’s why we work in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda to support the most vulnerable children, such as street-connected children, children with disabilities, children affected by conflict and children behind bars.
For the vulnerable children and young people we work with, the pandemic has caused even greater uncertainty, hardship, and danger. Your support means that we can address their urgent needs and work towards long-term change.
Thousands of children live or depend on the street in Mombasa
In Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city, an estimated 3,000 children are living on the streets, or depend on the streets for their survival. Most children and young people living on the streets have been rejected by their families and come to the streets with significant trauma due to their experiences at home. Lacking a safe space, these children face many risks and challenges. And the pandemic has made their situation even worse.
Government restrictions and lockdowns brought in to prevent the spread of COVID-19 mean that many vulnerable children are forced to be at home where they were at risk of abuse. This has led to a huge rise in the number of children leaving home to be on the streets. The financial impact has also meant that poorer children are being pushed onto the streets in search of food. But for children already on the streets, COVID-19 has taken away their methods of survival. There are fewer people to beg from, or cars to wash to earn money.
“We the poor, we are battling two wars. Hunger and Coronavirus. Hunger has always been there but we have never won. Coronavirus has just come in. We are not yet sure if we will overcome it. We just have to take the risk as there is no alternative.” – Boy on the streets
During the first lockdown in March 2020, our partner, Glad’s House Kenya, were the only organisation who remained working on the streets of Mombasa, providing essential food and support to children living on the streets.
A new safe space for street-connected children
Now, we’re supporting Glad’s House Kenya to provide a brand-new support centre for street-connected children and young people. The ‘Dr Philip Conlong Centre’ will be a safe space away from the streets, where vulnerable children can access healthcare, nutritious meals, washing facilities, counselling, and lessons in the classrooms.
COVID-19 has meant that there are now more children than before in desperate need of access to food, shelter and support. The trauma of the streets is leaving devastating scars on children’s mental and physical wellbeing.
The centre will allow Glad’s House Kenya to build on and expand the incredible work they do supporting street-connected children. For the past 15 years, they have been out on the streets almost every day to check in and build relationships with street-connected children and young people. They use sport, such as street football, and a mobile school to engage children, teach them life skills and provide food and other essentials.
The new centre will be able to support 680 children and young people a year!
Having the centre has been Glad’s House Kenya’s dream for years and, thanks to funding by the Anam Cara Trust, this year it’s going to become a reality! The building, project managed by Harambee Schools Kenya, is due to open in May, and we’re now working hard to get it fully operational.
With more children being driven to the streets because of COVID-19, and life becoming even more difficult for street-connected children whose means of survival have been taken away, the centre is more needed than ever. Please will you donate to our crowdfunder and help to get the centre ready to welcome children?
The difference your support could make
The money we raised through our crowdfunder will go towards the centre and its running costs. Here’s what you could fund:
- £17 could fund a teacher to delivery catch-up lessons for a day
- £34 could pay for 24 hours of nursing care
- £65 could fund 20 counselling sessions to help children overcome trauma
- £116 could pay for a week’s worth of teaching
- £500 could pay for a nurse for one month
Issues donating?
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If you have any issues, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. You can email [email protected] or phone us on 01483 230 250.