Mwatate Children’s Home and Rescue Center is a community based institution located in Mwatate Location, TAITA TAVETA COUNTY.
The institution was initiated in 2007 by concerned individuals touched by the rising number of orphans and vulnerable children neglected within the sub-county. The institution is guided by the Children’s Act and also regulated by the Children’s Department and Area advisory Act.

The institution is managed by a committee of 9 members, i.e. the chair, vice-chair, the secretary, the treasurer and two other members. It also has a management committee and secretariat of 4 members namely the social worker, matron, caretaker and cook who see to the day to day running of the institution

Their Vision,
A society where, children and youth live in harmony, free from all kinds of abuses
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I had chat with a volunteer worker, who also happened to be the person in charge at that that hour of the day¦
The chat is simply about what goes on in the children’s home.


Please introduce yourself¦ My name is MATILDA; I pursued a diploma in social work and community development. I have been working with the center on and off for some time. And  I got back again this February-2015
Briefly tell us about the current group¦  We have a group of 25 pupils,   most of them are in primary schools, a few of them in secondary schools.  Currently we also have got one by the name Tumaini JOSEPH, who is a first year student at KU pursuing civil engineering. Briefly about Tumaini, is that he had a sponsor who took him through Mwatate junior academy, later he studied at Kenyatta high school before getting an A- in his final exams thus earning him a place at the university. He is one of our success stories.
Can you describe your intake process and please tell us about the children you keep in the center  
Well, they either come individually or are brought through various angles. some of the children brought here were once molested or had no relatives to bring them up properly after the demise of their parents. Therefore, after the necessary legal actions which are often facilitated by child aid groups, they end up in the center. One of our policies is that once they are done with high school, those who pass can proceed with their education as we still accommodate them within or through the support of their sponsors. However, for the unfortunate ones who do not pass, we usually find a way of sending them back to their relatives, i.e. for those whose origins can be traced. 
What are some of the Challenges you encounter in the running of a children’s home?
The basic needs are inadequate for all the children to be satisfied; from food to water and clothing. But most of the times we rely on donors especially from partners of Mwatate children’s home. The other main challenge is that not all the kids get good and reliable sponsors. School fee is such a big issue especially for high school goers.
In the above regard, are there any self-sustaining projects?
Sometimes back the institution embarked on poultry farming but subject to disease it failed along the way. Meanwhile we aren’t really working on any projects of our own, although we are looking into a  biogas project which is in progress. We hope at the end of the day, fuel costs on us shall go down once fully installed.
Tell me about the Kids and behavior¦.
It’s kind of normal just like in any other family set-up, there will always be the obedient and the disobedient and there will be the adamant, the respectful, but at the end of the day, we try and work it out just as normal parents would do.
What are some of the plans in the pipeline?
Currently the plot and place where we are based is a rental premise. The rent costs are weighing down on us, but the management hopes to move to a land of their own soon, and hopefully erect its own structure.

What would be your request or plea to those out there? All we seek is Just more donations, moral and spiritual support to help as raise these kids and reassure them of a bright future. And to those who are financially able, if they can willingly sponsor some of the kids. Financial donations can be made through the relevant authorities




The following relevant authorities can be contacted in any case.
THE CHAIRMAN- 0722299838      -THE MANAGER- 0710153812   -SOCIAL WORKER @
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