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Nairobi Street Children
by Alexie Muzame

"Let the children come to me," said Jesus--a command that applies even today. But how do we let children come to Jesus?

This was a big question for me before I became a Sunday School teacher. As my call to work with children became clearer, I realized that I was to work with children other than my own or even those in the Sunday School.

Gradually, I felt drawn to children on the street and came to see God in these helpless and dirty-looking children. I even had a chance to sit with them at the Undugu Society of Kenya's Reception Centre, showing them that they too are special in the eyes of God.

Undugu Society of Kenya is a pioneer non-governmental organization seeking to address the plight of children on the street and others living in especially difficult circumstances.

Children on the street are as normal as our own children. Extreme poverty and social problems like alcoholism, drug abuse, family squabbles, etc. have contributed to their sad situations. Children, therefore easily leave their "homes" to go out and fend for themselves. Of course, there are also cases of abandonment, orphans and of children born out of wedlock.

The street environment is far more cruel and wild than that faced by other children, and street children have, in response, tended to behave the same. It is not uncommon to find them using harmful substances like drugs which give them momentous feelings of courage and bravery. But the impact, if only after a little while, can be a disaster.

A young boy nicknamed Kay was introduced to Undugu Society of Kenya and taken to the Reception Centre. Aggressive and completely under the influence of drugs and abuse on the street, he looked a difficult one to transform. Through a series of visits with Kay at the Reception Centre, I started to get some information about him. The drugs, he said, helped him to feel warm and forget about his troubles.

A month later, Kay had changed tremendously. After one year he could be reunited with his family. Undugu Society of Kenya caies out reintegration of children with their families as soon as possible. The natural home, the Society believes, offers the best atmosphere for a child. Community homes have, however, been established for training or formal education.

There are thousands of children living in the slums who are faced with almost the same problems as those on the street. The Society has initiated community development activities in slum areas to address the problems of such communities and children.

It is under the umbrella of Undugu Society of Kenya that a group of Quakers in Nairobi under the title, Silent Programme, are trying to create awareness of how people can help. The Undugu Society of Kenya has a network known as Undugu Friends Circle. The network aims to bring together all those who are interested in supporting activities of the Society among disadvantaged children.

The small group of Quakers collected a little money a couple of years ago which it gave to the Society. It recently received a proposal from the Society support of a small agricultural project to enhance food supplies for the children at the Reception Centre.

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