Kebene Children’s Home provides food, shelter and education

(MissionNewswire) Ten Belgian students from the Salesian Province of San Giovanni Berchmans volunteered at the Kebene Children’s Home in Ukunda, near Mombasa, Kenya. From Feb. 25 to March 6, students from the Salesian house “Don Bosco” in Hechtel, Belgium, learned and provided support to children and youth who had been living on the street.

The children and youth at Kebene receive food, shelter and education. They also learn how to sew and gain other skills that help them secure employment. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities requested that the shelter accommodate young girls who had experienced early pregnancies. The center houses around 150-160 children, including the babies of young mothers.

The trip was part of a project that allows students to dedicate one hour a week to an activity of their choice. According to Mark Van Dyck, a supervising teacher, the trip to Kenya has become popular, with 40 students who wanted to focus their time on helping others applying.

Van Dyck notes that preparation for the students’ trip was important. He said, “At the shelter, there are young mothers who became pregnant as a result of violence. These girls have painful pasts, and encountering such realities can be distressing. We wanted to prepare the students for this while also allowing them to fully experience it.”

Once back in Belgium, the students reflected on their extraordinary journey. On social media the students remarked, “We are immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this project. We laughed, cried, sweated a lot, and most of all, we learned so much. Kebene will always have a place in our hearts.”

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Kenya – Belgian Salesian Students on a Humanitarian Mission with Street Children

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya