In 1999, the Street Children (Child Rescue or “Juniors”) Program was started to care for children not attending the local primary schools because of poverty, family problems, delinquency, etc.
These children range in age from 6 to 13 and reside here until they can return to their families. Of late, many children entering are quite young (4 -5 years old) and/or have been orphaned by AIDS.There are over 200 children in this program.
They are now enrolled in a nearby school; school necessities such as clothes are paid from donations from well-wishers.
The children eat, sleep, and study in their new home with three recently-graduated St. Mary’s students who, together with current students, offer not only a good model for them to follow but also give them important peer counseling. Upon graduation from the primary program described below, these children are taken into either St. Mary’s Secondary or the polytechnic program described above.
In 2006, the Vocational Training Polytechnic Program was initiated to enable older children graduating from the primary level program above and those too old to be attracted in the first place to return and complete their primary school education.
Technical skills are taught in Auto Mechanics, Carpentry, Welding and Electricity so that they may have employable proficiencies.
Children who have sufficient academic promise, however, insuring that the regular secondary four-year program will give them a better future
job opportunity are taken directly into St. Mary’s Secondary Work-Study Program.
Child Rescue and Vocational Training Centre
P.O Box 588
Nyeri 10100, Kenya
Tel School: 254 (61) 203 2826
Cell: 254 720 707 359
Email:
Br. Peter Kombe(Headmaster)