Nyanza Province has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in Kenya and a recent report shows that numbers are increasing. There are many orphans. KOST works in an impoverished area where needs are great and children often lack the basics in life. All children in KOST’s care have one thing in common; parental support for basic needs is missing. Quite a few of our children have relatives, often grandparents, who can’t provide because they are too poor themselves or overburdened already with extra mouths to feed. Some children have a living parent who is sick or unable to work the land. But the majority of those in KOST’s care are orphans.
With KOST’s support, all our children are helped to maintain ties with family members where appropriate. They visit ‘home’ during school holiday times and are provided with food parcels so there is enough to go round.
Children often arrive traumatised by past experiences and in poor health themselves. KOST allows the children to take stock, return to good health and build up the confidence to go forward. They are enrolled at school and encouraged to work hard, following in the footsteps of good role models. The younger children go to local schools appropriate to their needs, whilst having all their needs met at the KOST Children’s Home in Homa Bay. They soon make new friends and have fun, cared for by a team of understanding Kenyan staff. Teenagers with high academic ability are KOST supported at secondary schools, near to their relatives’ homes. We offer training opportunities to teenagers too, either through college placements or work experience with local businesses.
You can help our children by becoming a child sponsor. This is a very worthwhile experience and links you with a particular child whose progress you can follow as they grow up. Please use the Contact Us page to request further information about Child Sponsorship. Alternatively, you may like to help all the children by offering regular donations for general needs. These are many, as not all the children have sponsors. In this case, please ask for details about General Sponsorship.
The KOST Children’s Home is often called upon to care for children who find themselves in crisis, through no fault of their own. Sometimes they are very young and needing a lot of care. Our staff are always ready to welcome them to a place of security, until their circumstances can be investigated. Please help KOST to provide for all these needy children.