Home Away From Home (School Sponsorship Program, Kenya)

Where is this "Home away from home"?

It's a rescue centre called Boma Rescue (Translation: Home rescue). It is located just outside of the Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

What is this initiative?

This initiative involves funding an amazing rehabilitation process for street kids, whose families don't have enough money to send their kids to school and orphans. Your donations will go to either the centre, or to the school in which the children will attend following the program.

In the program at Boma, the social workers go into the slum, and find kids who aren't in school during the week and ask them why they aren't in school, talk to their parents and do a home assessment. They then ask for the parents' permission if the children can come to the centre during the week, where they learn to cook, clean, dance, act, play, and partake in some supplementary learning.

Boma offers a place for children to be safe and have fun, despite their life situations. It also helps remove them from the unfortunate circumstances where kids fall into drugs, crime, illness and death. It is a safe haven, from which most kids go on to being successful and helping other kids that were in their shoes. It's an amazing, locally run rehabilitation centre.

Who am I?

My name is Amy and I went to the University of Waterloo for Psychology, and am currently at St. Lawrence College for Behaviour Science Technology. During my time at Waterloo, I spent a summer in Kenya in the Beyond Borders Program. I was fortunate enough to work along side the talented and passionate members of the Network for Social Transformation, and Smiles Africa, mainly at the Boma Rescue Rehabilitation Centre.

I myself have two sponsor children from the centre, and there are so many kids in need that I can't do it alone. I worked with 75+ of them when I spent the summer there two years ago, so I can say honestly that I have met them. I worked at Boma Rescue as a Facilitator, Program Coordinator, Counsellor and Social Worker - they are small but honest and doing so much for their communities.

The reason I started this page is because so many donations are given to the government and the small communities, and slums receive next to none, if any of the money. It is my hope that there are good people in this world who will come together and help some of the children born in horrible situations. I know we can't change the world this way, but at least we can change a few lives!

My Guarantee

All donations go to children from a Rehabilitation Centre (Boma Rescue) for Street Kids and Orphans from the Korogocho slum in Kenya. The money will be used for school fees and upkeep fees for the centre (as their staff are mainly volunteers, and they are lacking in supplies). This is a self-managed initiative by myself, and I am in the process of registering as an organization with the Canada Revenue Agency.

I know some people have issues sending money abroad because of legitimacy issues - largely in thanks to big organizations that don't use the money you send how they say they would use it. But I GUARANTEE you that every dollar and cent you send will go directly to the centre or school where the children will attend.

I will be paying the fees to send it abroad.