Anita’s Home

Mission


Anita's Home was established to provide hope to girls living in difficult circumstances, especially those living on the streets.

We believe in upholding girl-child rights and promoting their dignity through provision of protection, care, love, education and formation.

We are also committed to working closely with other agencies and the civil society in promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of the girl-child.


Background


Anita's Home is a project that targets to rehabilitate female children from the streets. It started operations in 1999, and was named after an Italian lady who had worked tirelessly for the protection of the girl child.

Situated in Ngong Town, 20 Km south of Nairobi, the home exists primarily as a rehabilitation and care home for former street girls. The admitted children live with couples, who have their own biological children.

Life at the home is structured like a typical African extended family, where all members enjoy the warmth of family life.

Currently, there are three couples caring for a total of 34 girls, whose ages range between five and fourteen years. Most of the girls are orphans rescued from the streets of Nairobi, and some of them still have relatives living on the streets.


The aims and objectives of the Home are:

• To assist needy girls satisfy their basic human needs.


• To ensure security of education, food, shelter, and the protection of their basic human rights.


• To empower girls with knowledge and skills for self reliance.


• Formation and personal development through moral, spiritual and social support, as well as professional counseling.


• Reintegration into the family of origin where possible.

Activities


In order to achieve its main objectives, the project engages in the following activities:

• Formal and informal education


• Guidance and counseling


• Art and crafts, which include tailoring, embroidery, bead work, mat weaving and knitting. This program also benefits other girls from the neighborhood, especially from the poor sections of Ngong town


• Computer training


• Promotion of sporting activities like football, netball and aerobics


• Home visits for purposes of possible future reintegration into the family


• An Outreach programme, which helps the home identify the needs of the local area,as well as support local needy children in school while they live with their parents/relatives


• Networking with relevant organizations to help eradicate problems that pose a danger to the proper growth of the girl child in Kenya, like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and wife inheritance

Values


The girls at Anita's Home are guided by the conviction that, in their own words:

"God has made us equal, children have a right to be listened to, they are able to participate in family life taking up responsibilities suitable for them, and all children have the right to a family providing them with love and care of their material needs".