We Care Development Programme
The ‘We Care Development Programme’ (WCDP) is a programme started by Deliverance Church Nakuru in 1994 as an integral part of the Church's wider vision.
Its mission is to meet the basic needs of the urban, peri-urban and rural communities by activating and operating with two basic biblical principles:
i. 'Give them to eat' (Luke 9:13)
This is a rehabilitation approach addressing the immediate basic needs of needy people in the community.
ii. 'Arise and walk' (Acts3:6)
A more sustainable approach that seeks to recognize their potential and assisting them to be self-reliant.
Project Profile
To date the projects started are based on three development sectors
- Education
- Health
- Social Welfare
1. Education
Ten years ago, we started a school (King's Academy) as a pre-unit. The school has grown over the years to the primary school level up to class five by the end of this year. In January 2005, the school will take in pupils in classes six through to eight.
2. Health
Health care is a basic need for the Kenyan society. It has become an issue of major concern and not many households can now afford primary prophylactic health care. To address this need, the church started a medical clinic (Kings Medical Center-KMC) ten years ago. It serves urban, peri-urban and rural communities. Fully qualified personnel from accredited medical institutions serve at the clinic. The clinic offers out-patient primary health care, antenatal, post natal care and immunizations
3. Social Welfare
A. INTRODUCTION
Most of Kenya's big cities (including Nakuru) have been invaded by street children. Most of these kids run away from home into the streets for reasons such as:
- Family challenges - broken homes, single parents, and economic hardships
- Juvenile Situations
- Loss of parents i.e. Orphaned
- Harassment/ Abuse by parents/Guardians
These kids live in appalling circumstances and are exposed to detrimental vices including drug abuse (glue sniffing, bhang smoking etc) and other kinds of abuse. At times, they get involved in robberies. This is a problem that requires a comprehensive multi- and inter-sectoral approach.
Ten years ago the Life Celebration Centre Family started a rehabilitation program for street kids and constructed some makeshift wooden shelter to accommodate them.
With the support from Family members, the church has been able to support at least eighteen (18) with education. Among them, five have cleared secondary school education, thirteen (13) were enrolled to primary school; a few could not make it through primary school and were therefore taken through Polytechnic where they acquired masonry and carpentry skills. Three of them made it very well in this training.
B. ESTABLISHMENT:
The ‘We Care Boys’ Rehabilitation Centre’ was established in 1994 to cater for street childrens’ spiritual, physical, social and economic needs. At the time of its establishment, the centre had 40 kids taken in from the streets of Nakuru Town and were provided with food, clothing and shelter at the Life Celebration Centre.
C. OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of the ‘We Care Rehabilitation Centre’ are:
- To reach out to the street children with the love and compassion of Christ.
- To address their immediate basic needs i.e. food, shelter, clothes and education.
- To recognize their potential and assist them to become self-reliant.
D. REHABILITATION PROCESS
The rehabilitation process is done in phases and in the process, quite a number left the centre. The process was conducted as follows:
i. Friendship Bait
This involved befriending the kids while on the streets. Invitations to the rehabilitation centre were then extended to them to join the centre after befriending them. At the centre, food, clothing and shelter would be provided hence getting them to an environment where they would feel appreciated and loved.
ii. The Word Therapy
At the centre the Word of God is shared regularly to bring them to a level where by they can appreciate themselves and start shaping a positive self-image.
To bear fruit, this process takes six months to one year. Change is manifested when they start opening up about themselves and the circumstances occasioning their flight from home.
iii. Consolidation Phase
Once the boys complete a six-month stay at the centre opportunities are sought for them. Those who are at the school going age are linked with the education department. Thirteen of them have gotten through primary, high school and training over the years.
With changed hearts, a lot of them get excited with school and their performance is very encouraging in class. The older boys beyond school going age are put into some kind of apprenticeship and/or in local informal training institutions where they acquire skills in areas such as motor vehicle mechanics, masonry and carpentry.
iv. Parental/guardian linkage
As the healing process continues, they start telling their parents /guardian. Usually, about 80% of the children in the streets have parents/guardian; about 20% only are orphans. Depending on the involvement of the parent/guardian to the factors that led to flight of the child, we call or visit the parents/ guardian and slowly establish a pattern whereby the parent and the child can meet often.
We aim at the parents/guardian eventually taking up the responsibility of the child. Often times we see the parent/guardian overwhelmed (in tears sometimes) by the change they see in the kids when they come to see them. Three boys have been released back to the parents and they are doing well.
E. CHALLENGES
Being a centre that has been dealing with former street boys, the greatest challenge has been cases of indiscipline.
F. VISION
To move the centre to a more spacious place together with the poultry project where the boys can take care of the chicken and the chicken take care of the boys.
To expand the centre so as to cater for more boys.
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