Samuel believes that “Education is the key, and is paramount”. Cheryl’s children are being lovingly moulded into worthy and responsible members of society. As Cheryl’s Children rebuild their trust in humankind, they are given a safe and secure environment, with endless unconditional love. With this sort of security, they will surely prosper.

Those who have visited Cheryl’s have said that, without exception, the children are well-behaved, well-disciplined, responsive and eager to learn and better themselves. There are no tears or tantrums at Cheryl’s. The once dire, and beyond basic conditions at Cheryl’s have recently been significantly upgraded and modernized. This is an ongoing project.

In 2007, the girls moved into their new living quarters, and got their first ever flush toilet and washing facilities. In 2008, the boys will move into their new accommodation.

Cheryl’s Children’s Home receives no government assistance whatsoever, and relies solely on the generous donations from the general public.

Education costs money. Food bills are a constant, and at times serious, struggle. And on top of all of that funding is needed for medication, ongoing trauma therapy, shelter, electricity, some support for the team of volunteer child-care givers, and as the children continue to excel in their studies, university fees are now being added to the equation. Thankfully the love and attention is free, and in Cheryl’s it knows no bounds.

CHERYL'S HOME HISTORY

The project is located at Dagoretti corner in Nairobi. Cheryl’s Children’s Home works closely with the underprivileged and the socially disadvantaged people in slums and rural communities to impact social and self-esteem, in order to improve their social and economic status.

80% of the children are orphans, 15% semi orphans and 5% from destitute families. It was with this in mind that Cheryl’s Children’s Home was established. The origin of the organization is Kibera slum in Nairobi. It was started when we saw the plight of orphaned and destitute children in the slum who had lost their parents to AIDS and other killer diseases.

The increasing number of orphans led to the building of the first temporary structure that accommodated the first 25 orphans. With an ever-increasing number of orphans, the home was relocated to Dagoretti Corner where it was privileged to get enough space of one-acre land donated by the Kenya government through the Kenyan Railways Corporation.

This is only one of thousands of similar stories of Kibera’s forgotten orphans.