Kenya has observed an upsurge in the number of orphans due to the high number of deaths from HIV/Aids related infections. Major studies and data which have been done by such organizations as UNICEF, in partnership with the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), estimate that out of the total Population of 31.5 million Kenyans about 3 million people have been infected by HIV/Aids.  1.5 million have already died due to the pandemic and about 1.6 million orphans have been left behind. Statistics further show that about 7.6 million children who are in primary school education, more than 2 million are orphans aged below 18.  Yes, 55-60% of these orphaned children have lost both parents, while about 11% do live with at least one parent.

In the Western Province of Kenya alone, where I was born and raised, the total number of orphans is totaling to 215,087.  With Bungoma District leading with a total number of 4,435 orphans, among the 8 Districts that form the Province (Kakamega, Busia, Lugar, Vihiga, Butere-Mumias, Mt. Elgon, Bungoma and Teso). This is from the 2002 UNICEF study report as carried out among various households. And let us not forget the escalating figure of orphans in Nyanza, which is by far the leading province in Kenya, as well as other provinces that follow like Rift Valley, Nairobi, Coast.

Please note that we are as well reaching out to the Nyanza province whereby we have Street Orphaned Children, in Siaya town, Kogello Village (where the Father to Barrack Obama was born) as well as in the Kisumu City, in the slum  area  of Obunga.  We have a total of about 30 Street  Orphan Children in these places, and mostly affected due to the death of their parents as a result of Hiv/Aids, (as Nyanza province leads in Hiv/Aids infections in Kenya), and we intend to incorporate them in the Kenya Orphan Rescue Project.  Just in case you wish to visit the area where President Barrack Obamas' Father was born, then just get in touch with us on our contact information, and we shall take you there, not only to tour, but to get involved with the Children of  this Project, and God shall bless you! We have some networking Churches in these places hence our project too getting roots in this areas.

Broader studies in Kenya, and in Africa at large, further shows clearly that these orphans don’t have the access to the basic needs that their family parents could have provided, such as food, security, shelter, clothing, education, health care, parental love, feeling of belonging, and so much more. Note that 56% of the Kenya Children below 14 years do fall categorically in this poverty line (living on less than a dollar a day). Indeed these orphaned children have continued to face myriad problems, including sexual and cultural abuse, HIV/Aids stigma & discrimination, violence (where they’ve been used in war torn areas like Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and others; while in Kenya they’re being mostly used in child labor).

The Day of the African Child is celebrated every 16th of June every year in most African countries, and does mark the remembrance of over 500 children who were massacred in Soweto, South Africa in 1976 while protesting against Apartheid. Such vices that discriminate children and suppress their voice should be stopped! Actually, further orphan impacts clearly show that this problem has contributed negatively in the gains made in development, such as in area of Agricultural and Food production, Educational growth, family households income, resources allocation, and budgeting.

Consequently, the main strategy which can be used to address this problem of the ever increasing orphan growth in Kenya, and which we are taking on as a Faith Based Organization (F.B.O), is to strengthen the capacity of the Christian Family and the entire community in timely responding towards the orphans’ psychosocial, institutional, health, spiritual and basic needs care. Indeed, caring for these orphaned children become our responsibility and together we can!