The Nyeri government is planning to rehabilitate at least 100 street children to protect them from Covid-19 and make them self-reliant in the future.
The measure was taken following the identification of possible high-risk areas by the County Emergency Response Committee, which said street children are exposed to Covid-19.
The county is partnering with the national government.
The children will be accommodated at Thunguma Children’s Home and Rehabilitation Centre on the outskirts of Nyeri town.
Gender, Youth and Social Sevices CEC Esther Ndung’u told the Star on Tuesday that information from chiefs indicates there are at least 200 children living in the county’s streets. The county is, however, making plans for 100 children.
This is because some of them come from their homes to beg on the streets before returning at the end of the day, Ndung’u said.
“There is, therefore, the need to establish the actual number of genuine street children. We are trying to do this at night,” she said.
Officials from the county and national governments have been visiting the streets for the mission since Monday.
Those who have homes will be discouraged from venturing into the streets while the rest will be taken to the children’s home.
“We plan to start taking them to the children’s home from next week,” she said.
The street children will first undergo counselling and thereafter, those within schoolgoing ages will be taken back to school. Those who are past the ages will be taught life skills for self-reliance.
Ndung'u said they will be counselled because they are on the streets for different reasons.
Others who will be taken to the children’s home are those with one or both parents but are not willing to go back for their own reasons.
They will first be counselled and their parents contacted to see whether they can be reintegrated back into their homes.
“Others are from other counties who sought refuge in Nyeri after those counties drove them away from the streets,” she added.
The children’s home has shared a budget with the county and the administration is working on it.
“We have also been reaching out to well-wishers to provide clothing among other necessities.”
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nyeri branch on Monday donated 100 mattresses and 100 blankets to support the rehabilitation programme.
County chairman Ibrahim Ndegwa said this will remove the children from the dangers of the streets, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ndegwa appealed to the Nyeri business community to chip in and help raise funds to help vulnerable people in the county during the pandemic.
Edited by R.Wamochie
