A taste of life at the KOST Children’s Home

A taste of life at the KOST Children’s Home

The children rise very early each morning and amid much chatter and activity, prepare for their full day ahead.  The school day begins early and before the children leave, they take breakfast prepared for them by the Home’s two cooks. Sometimes it is porridge and sweet potato, sometimes tea and bread. At the KOST Children’s Home all our children receive three nutritious meals each day, as per a set daily menu.  Meals are varied and interesting, and our children are kept in good health with good attendance at school.

The children spend most of their week days at school but are free afterwards to let off steam and enjoy some leisure time with their friends.  Table tennis, skipping games, football or just chasing around are everyday normal pursuits, while some children are happy to read books or take time writing a letter to their sponsor.  KOST employs two teachers who go into school with the children every day but afterwards are on hand to help with homework and supervise more structured activities for the children.  Carpentry and sewing programmes run every week and the children are learning basic skills for the future.   Our children love to sing and dance and these gifts are channelled into the Children’s Home choir, which regularly particiaptes in local celebration days and entertains visitors for the enjoyment of all.

The children are well cared for and have fun, but also have to learn how to look after themselves in preparation for adult life.   The girls learn cooking skills and when children are old enough, all are taught to wash their own clothes and be responsible for their own cleanliness.   Facilities are very basic by UK standards and all has to be done by hand.

KOST children have all their educational needs paid for and always attend school looking neat and tidy in uniform.  Each term KOST pays for books, pencils and the right equipment to allow them to get to the next stage. They can go on educational trips and nearly all are making good progress.

Most of our children are able to make home visits to relatives or guardians, which is greatly encouraged for the good of the children. Many have grandparents, aunts and uncles, while others visit appointed guardians and stay with their families for a while. Here they learn animal welfare, how to weed and tend food crops and pass on skills to younger children, as good role models. Our children always take food parcels with them to ensure there is enough food to go around on the visits. There is no welfare system in place in Kenya. It is vital that our Kenyan staff understand individual family situations so they can plan successful home visits for the children.   The children often enjoy them, but are pleased to return and get back to school, such are the harships endured by the general population.

KOST ensures that every child’s basic needs are met daily and our Children’s Home offers much more than that.  Please help us to keep this vital work running, which gives hope to the children for a better future.