The street children of Kitale, Kenya come from families or single mothers who are not only poverty stricken but the poorest of the poor. Often unable to provide for themselves, yet alone their children. Children on the streets are living without positive role models and relationships, missing their opportunity for education, and are susceptible to disease and violence. These kids often have no access to clean drinking water, healthy foods, health care, education or other social services. They often fear police and public officials knowing that they are often blamed for petty street crimes.
Among those who are rescued from the streets, the process of reintegration into society is so difficult they usually return to the streets. For others the relief from the pressures of street survival is the break that they need to become functioning adults and reunite with lost family members.
The word Tumaini means hope and trust in the Swahili language. At Tumaini Youth Center we never stop striving to provide hope for the street children of Kitale. Hope that there are opportunities for a brighter, healthier, happier future. And hope that we can achieve our mission and inspire our vision of a kinder world where every child’s needs are met.