The Springs of Life Children’s Restoration Center (SOLCRC) was founded as a response to the high prevalence of Orphaned & Vulnerable children who were coming to the New Life Restoration Ministries Community Centre at Kibra, looking for help. Majority of these children were from the Kibera Slums, located 3 Kms from Nairobi, and Capital City of Kenya. Founded by Bishop. Dr. Paul Mbithi and Reverend Grace Mbithi in the year 2000, Springs of Life Children’s Restoration Center (SOLCRC)) had the sole objective of rescuing and rehabilitating vulnerable and neglected children mainly from the Kibera Slums.
Originally, the Centre’s programmes were rescue and care based, pending government approval for the upgrade to a fully registered Children’s Home.
Worth noting is the humble beginning of the center, with only 4 children.
With initial success of the rescue and rehabilitation of the OVCs, Restoration Educational Centre was launched in the year 2000, with a purpose of presenting the children with teachers and staffs conversant with the challenges of trauma associated with the OVCs, and grow the school to high quality standard to offer academic education to other children from the Kibera Slums.
This was also part of the OVC children’s’ healing process as they mingled with children from stable families and households. Prior to the fire, the school had grown to be reputed for high value, efficient provision of primary school education. Both the Rescue & Rehabilitation and the Restoration Educational Centre were constructed within the New Life Restoration Ministries Headquarters’ compound located at Toi Market, along the Ngong-Kibera Drive, Kibra Sub-County, and Nairobi County in the republic of Kenya.
Within the Centre, the orphaned & vulnerable are provided with shelter and care, food & nutrition support, education & vocational/life skills training, protection &legal support, and counseling support for trauma. In line with this, they are also exposed to activities such as sports, modeling and music, that will help them realize and actualize their talents.
Up to now 103 beneficiaries have gone through SOLCRC. We have 28 kids in primary school, they are from play group up to grade 8, 28 in different high schools across the country. Another lot is in college, each pursuing what they are passionate about, these are 15 enthusiast youth men and young women.
Testimony! To-date, John Paul, one of the original children of the program, has graduated in Administration and HR. Two of our children are in the Kenya Medical Training Centre (KMTC), training to be future medical professionals, two are in Hospitality, with one employed at Sarova Hotel, one of the 5 star hotels in Kenya. Ochieng Kevin, another pioneer of the Centre is currently pursing studies at Strathmore University, courtesy of your kind and generous support.
Without your help and support, this could not have been possible. It has been, and still is, an uphill task for the Centre due to many challenges, especially space. The accommodation of the needy children has been rather difficult due to congestion. The administrators are faced with the daunting task of identifying the very needy as a first priority, and many more deserving to be rescued and sheltered within the home are waiting on the waiting list. And the waiting list is mostly long.
It has been our prayer that, by the grace of God, and your kind support, we shall, together, accommodate the children in a bigger, more spacious facility. Currently, the Centre has been hosted within the NLRM International HQs compound in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. The problem of space has led us to be innovative and construct semi-permanent temporary storied structures to create more space. In the event of fire like the most recent of 12th March 2019, these semi-permanent structures end up completely destroyed.
Following the recent fire tragedy of 12th March 2019, which destroyed all that, was hosted within the NLRM-International, including the children Centre, a Master Plan has been designed, which has included designs for permanent three storey stone structures that will house the children’s Centre. This will provide good space to ease decongestion, and better environment conducive for the children’s’ care and upkeep.
As of now, the children are being hosted in a temporary Centre, away from the scene of fire, as plans to construct permanent structures are put under way.
As all that was in the children Centre was completely destroyed, the needs are many, including and not limited to:
• Construction materials and fittings
• Transportation services
• Dormitory furniture
• Kitchenware and utensils
• Textbooks, Exercise books, office stationeries
• Food supplies
• Cleaning supplies and toiletries
• School Uniforms
• Computers, Printers, Photo copiers, Internet accessories.
CALL TO ACTION
On the background of much appreciation for every previous help and assistance, prior to the 12 March 2019 fire tragedy, we need your kind support as we construct more permanent structures and restore both the orphaned & vulnerable children back to their Centre. No single effort is small.