County launches project to rehabilitate street children

A woman hugs one of the street children who turned up at Kinoru Stadium during the launch of a rehabilitation project jointly supported by the Meru County Government and St Francis Children's Home. The three-month project is aimed at reducing the population of street children in Meru Town. PHOTO|KENNEDY KIMANTHI  NATION

In Summary
The more than 400 street children will join identified vocational training centres.
Deputy Governor Raphael Muriungi said the project will first be rolled out in Meru Town.
Meru Town has close to 400 street children most of whom are quickly turning into hardcore criminals.
The street children will be relocated to the Chaaria Child Rehabilitation Centre.
Meru Children's Officer Jane Kinuthia said the centre would also be equipped to cater for the immediate needs of the children.

 By KENNEDY KIMANTHI
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The Meru County government has embarked on a three-month rehabilitation project aimed at reducing the population of street children in Meru Town.

The more than 400 street children will join identified vocational training centres.

These include primary and secondary schools that will teach them skills to help them start their own businesses as they continue searching for jobs.

Speaking at Kinoru Stadium during the inauguration of the project, Deputy Governor Raphael Muriungi said the project will first be rolled out in Meru Town.

It will then spread to other towns in the county where street children have become menace.

“The law stipulates that children be given proper care, have shelter and be provided with clothing.

It is with this in mind that our county government aims to rehabilitate street children and help them realise their dreams,” said Mr Muriungi.

The deputy governor said the county would enlist the support of individuals in the political, religious, and business circles to rehabilitate more street children.

REAL CHALLENGE

Mr Muriungi admitted that street children were a real challenge in Meru despite efforts to rehabilitate them into responsible Kenyans.

Meru Town has close to 400 street children most of whom are quickly turning into hardcore criminals.

The street children will be relocated to the Chaaria Child Rehabilitation Centre.

According to Fr Francis Liwa of the Meru Catholic Diocese who has jointly supported the initiative, the project will improve the lives of the children and help integrate them back to the society.

Fr Liwa appealed to the business community and other potential employers to offer employment to the street children once they graduate from the vocational centres so that they can utilise their skills.

“The root cause of this problem should be addressed and more preventive measures put in place to ensure more children do not end up on the streets,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries at the centre, he said, were progressing well with their learning.

Meru Children's Officer Jane Kinuthia said the centre would also be equipped to cater for the immediate needs of the children.

Counselling services would also be offered to them, she added.

At the same time, Ms Kinuthia put on notice unregistered children’s homes which she said were exploiting the children.

“Street children are everywhere. But some organisations are taking advantage of the problem to cash in on them.

Let them be aware that their days are numbered,” she said.