40 acres of land set aside to rehabilitate Nairobi street children, says Governor Kidero

Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero

Nairobi City County government has partnered with the national government to address the problem of street families comprehensively contrary to newspaper reports that Nairobi Governor, Dr. Evans Kidero’s government would evict them from the City.

“The County government has set aside 40 acres of land in Ruai which it will use to construct a rehabilitation center, school and vocational training institution. Currently an Inter-Ministerial Committee is working on the plan to ensure that there is support expertise and structures to help the families, especially the children. We must find humane ways to deal with this issue,” the governor said.

“I will ensure that the children are able to access formal learning and those who are above 16 years of age will be trained in vocational skills. The Nairobi County government will also ensure that a fully functional and equipped medical clinic is provided for at the Center to ensure those who have health issues are taken care of. Beside the medical team, there will be psycho-social workers and other experts on hand to support the families and children that may have challenges arising from their tough life on the streets. The educational institutions will eventually be centres of integration modelled on Starehe Boys Center and School, in which a third of the students will be admitted. Once the streets are cleared of children, the institutions will still be needed for the vulnerable and poor families, especially those who live in slums in Nairobi.”

Kidero said Nairobi County’s Mission and core values include; providing affordable, accessible and sustainable quality service, enhancing community participation and creating a secure climate for political, social and economic development.