Embu: Children’s home under risk of collapse

Several children’s homes and rescue centres in Embu County are under threats of shutting down following massive withdrawal of funding by sponsors.

Pupils of Iriamurai Primary School receive a donation of assorted
goods from Embu County Government officials

Scores of the homes known to manage destitute children living with physical disabilities have been affected by the withdrawal, making it difficult for them to operate.

Some of the children have consequently been forced to migrate to neighbouring counties such as Kirinyaga.

Consequently, the County Department of Gender, Culture, Children and Social Services has now been forced to step in to redress the situation.

Yesterday, the department rolled out an audit programme to assess and to mitigate the problem and also operationalised an initial budget of Sh400, 000 to supply basic necessities and food stuffs.

Chief Officer Jane Mugambi said the Department is concerned that the homes which play a crucial role of caring for the disabled children are faced with serious management challenges, some of which have made it increasingly difficult for them to provide human basic needs for the disabled children.

“We have therefore resolved to supply them with mattresses, blankets, wheel-chairs and basic food stuffs such as maize flours, cooking oil, beans, sugar, soaps and toiletries,” she said.

Jomo Kenyatta Children Home in Embu municipality under the initial sponsorship of the Red Cross Society of Kenya received 20 mattresses.

It hosts twenty seven 27 disabled children while Ngiori rescue Centre in Mbeere South with twenty two 22 children received a similar supply.

Monicah Mugeni, an attached teacher at the centre said the children are faced with food shortage.

Other centres that benefited from the programme include St. Stephen’s Home and Kevote.