Nyumbani Children's Home |
History
Nyumbani
Children's Home was founded in 1992 by the late Father Angelo D'Agostino, S.J.,
M.D., a physician, psychiatrist and Jesuit priest being an active response to
the alarming number of HIV infected children currently orphaned or abandoned in
Kenya. This home is considered Kenya's first and largest facility for HIV+
orphans housing approximately 120 children ranging in age from newborn to
twenty three years old. Children at Nyumbani Children's Home come from all over
Kenya in places including Marsabit, Nakuru, Isiolo, Kakamega, Kisumu, Mombasa,
Ngong, Dagoretti and areas within Nairobi representing all ethnicity in Kenya.
The
Children's Home finds its children through national hospitals and through
Nyumbani's own community outreach program called Lea Toto. In addition, the
home did more by converting one of the cottages at the Home into a Respite Center
for children in Lea Toto who were not responding at home to provided treatment.
This Respite Center brings extremely sick children into a controlled
environment where there are trained professionals who could carefully stabilize
and strengthen the children before they return to their families. The parents
of the children are then trained in ways to improve their care giving to their
children.
Executive
Director Sister Mary Owens, IBVM provides continuing leadership and inspiration
to all the Nyumbani programs staff and volunteers as a result of sharing Father
D'Agostino's dream.
Support
The
children receive best medical,spiritual, psychological, academic, nutritional
and holistic care possible until they are able to fend for their own. This
wonderful care is a result of support of donation from people from all over the
world. Non-profit boards have been created in Kenya, United States, United
Kingdom, Italy, Ireland and Spain to support Nyumbani and help in building
sustainable communities for children infected with and affected by the HIV/AIDS
pandemic.
Also,
the United States Board, Children of God Relief Fund (COGRF), supports Nyumbani
programs based in Washington DC and hosts an annual fundraising gala every
September. COGRF is supported by voluntary private contributions and receives
no government funding. It is recognized as a tax exempt charity under Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It also meets all 20 Standards for
Charity Accountability of the Better Business Bureau.
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