Trish In Africa: PICS FROM KENYA #4 IMANI ORPHANAGE

IMANI CHILDREN'S HOME

Jeffery and Peter, two orphans being cared for at Imani Children's Home.

In Nairobi, Kenya it is estimated that there are over 60,000 children living on the streets. Founder, Faith Wanjiru a devoted Christian, wants to provide children with love and hope for the future. MsWanjiru started Imani Children's Home (which means "Faith") in 1992 with only 15 children from the streets of Nairobi by purchasing a plot of land in Kayole, a suburb in Nairobi and constructed a building that could accommodate a number of children.

ON THE DRIVE TO IMANI

Here are some of the sights I saw on our way to the orphanage:

Bananas for sale. Men carry them in old-fashioned wooden carts. I saw lots of these banana carts being hauled around.

Lots of clothes lines everywhere.

Water for sale. Many people are seen everywhere (mostly women) carrying these yellow water containers.

Old wooden carts are seen in traffic or along the side of the road like this one. Sometimes they're pulled by a donkey but most of the time it's pulled by a man.

Very crowded street in Kayole, the section of Nairobi in which we find Imani Home for Children. Kayole was once a high-crime area till about 3 years ago when there was a police crackdown.

I wonder what this little boy was thinking?

We had to drive very slowly...

If you DOUBLE-CLICK you can see amazing detail.

FINALLY WE TURNED INTO A DRIVEWAY - AND THERE IT WAS

We turned left and saw this big iron gate in front of us.

As the doors swung open I was amazed at the contrast between the crowded dirty street we'd just been on, and the wide open clean courtyard teaming with life before us. Everywhere children were busy carrying out tasks. The water you see is the concrete being washed. Some children were busy making support sticks for the many potted plants that are in the courtyard. A man came and took us on a tour. We saw where the children bathe, eat and sleep and it was all nice and clean. They even made us wear big surgical-type booties in these areas.

If you DOUBLE-CLICK you'll be able to read what this giant picture says is Imani's goal for children.

We spent a while in with the infants. They wouldn't allow pictures in there. I got to sit and feed a child and then change, bathe and lay down a half dozen for their afternoon naps. Then we went in and did our puppet show and songs for the older children.

Here's a little video clip of our time afterward with some of the little ones:

So this was after our puppet show and songs had been finished. We were talking with some of the children before packing our equipment up.

This little song says, "Walk with Jesus, walk with Jesus. He loves you. He REALLY loves you..."

I wish I had more pics for you but my photographer was tired out I think - we all were! It was very sweet being with the Imani children. I had to remind myself at first that this was NOT a school, and these children were NOT students attending here. This is the only home they have. I had looked at the little ones that I had been helping with lunch and had thought How could anyone give you up? But God is caring for them in a very nice home.

I had seen this lady in the courtyard sewing thing for the children using an old peddle Singer sewing machine and had asked if I could take her picture. I think she was amused.