Moses Gicharu Reports from Eastleigh

JANUARY MONTHLY REPORT

MOSES GICHARU

During the Month of January my fellow team members and I started working on the documents required for intake process of both boys and girls. I was compliing case histories for the potential teenage boys and girls to be admitted to MITS boarding program. We conducted home visits for street boys and girls who had relatives so as to find out more information from any parents or guardians available about the reasons for the teenagers running away.

Some didn’t want to visit their homes because of the fear of being beaten up by their parents or guardians or because their physical appearances was not appealing - dirty and untidy. We discussed as a team how to solve the issues of the boys and girls who were attending the program but their situation or cases were not fit to be considered as very needy since, at least they had a place to sleep at home. Their problem was maybe lack of school uniform, writing materials and other minor needs. We decided once again to give opportunities to be admitted at M.I.T.S. boarding program to those kids who were sleeping on the streets. We helped others as we could to reintegrate to their homes and assisted in buying necessities required e.g. Emmanuel Sifa, a class six leave out pupil from ST. Elizabeth school at Lunga Lunga, Maureen from Kamulu Kwa Ruben while others from Mathare slum we advised their parents or guardians on what to do in order to ensure that their children continue with their studies.

The teenagers we admitted at Kamulu farm were consistently attending the Eastleigh program for the past eight to ten months. There were sixteen students (10 boys and 6 girls) who were admitted at M.I.T.S Kamulu center on 31^st of January 2012. One of the girls tested positive on the pregnancy test. Shamim was about two weeks pregnant. She had accompanied other friends to the program at Eastleigh center, and when the Eastleigh team visited Mutindwa base we found only that she had been living on different bases for the last five years. Shamim is a hardworking and intelligent girl and it was God’s plan for her to be admitted at the Kamulu farm.