The Wema Centre Trust

2009 Annual Report

BACKGROUND
The Wema Centre Trust is an NGO registered by the Ministry of Home Affairs
as a children’s institution. The Centre was founded in 1993 and started as a
home in Likoni for young street girls in a rented three bedroom house. The
home re-located to Bamburi Utange in 1997. The Centre has since expanded
Watoto Wema Maisha Mema
skills classes and exchange visits. In 2010 this program will be scaled up
to six new schools in the Coast and Central provinces.
2)Rescue and Re-integration: The main activities are; family tracing and
re-unification and foster care. Emergency accommodation is provided for

its work to include Outreach, Education and Vocational training and now has
two sites in Mombasa and one in Thika town, where various projects have
been established as sited below. Currently, the Wema Outreach program
covers four districts Kinango, Kisauni, Mombasa and Thika in the Coast and
Central provinces.
VISION
All street children and vulnerable orphans are transformed into fulfilled and
responsible persons.
MISSION
We endeavor to promote justice in our society through constructive
partnerships, community engagement, institutional development and provision
of quality services to street children, vulnerable orphans and disadvantaged
youth, which include nutritional support, education and skills training,
healthcare, psycho-social support, HIV /Aids awareness and prevention in a
holistic manner.
short periods as part of the rescue process. These activities will also be
re-structured and scaled up to include social enterprise and skills training
for caregivers of the children supported.
3)Education and Skills training: This Covers Early Childhood
Development, Vocational Training, Primary, Secondary and University
education. We teach and train children as well as provide education
materials, fees and school transport. In 2010 the education program will be
scaled up to include vulnerable children in six new schools in Coast and
Central provinces, providing needy households and children with support
for their education needs.
4)Income Generating Project: This Project aims to generate revenue
towards sustainability of our programs by utilization of available resources.
These resources include livestock, accommodation facilities, education
and vocational training facilities including cookery, tailoring and computer
training facilities.

OBJECTIVES 2009
We aim to improve service delivery, efficiency and efficacy of the
organization, in line with the needs of our target population. As a result,
our objectives in 2009 were :

•Prevention – helping communities find their own responses to put a halt

to children living in the streets and children engaging in commercial
sex.

•Advocacy – supporting networking of NGOs and civil society in

bringing the experiences and views of the “voiceless” to policy level,
establishing best practice and creating strong links to support street
children.

•Support– making sure that children find appropriate responses to their

needs and can withstand pressures that lead to their life on the street
(or returning to the street)

•Institutional Development – Wema hopes to improve the capacity of the

organization and expand its initiative in Mombasa and Thika.

WHAT WE DO
We work towards our objectives through the following key departmental focus
areas:

1)The Psycho-Social Support: Focusing on behavior change, this program

deals with HIV/ AIDS, drug abuse, commercial sex, rape and productive
health issues. We use activities such as scouting, acrobatics, music, life
 Calling for Foster care
Highlights
Wema at work 2009

Dear friends,
I am grateful for this
opportunity to review the
experience of the past
year and to share with you
some of the highlights and
challenges.
Throughout the year, we
rescued children from
difficult circumstances and
provided direct services and
support including education,
nutrition, psychosocial support, healthcare and shelter, as well as family
tracing and re-integration. These services were also scaled up within our three
Centers; namely Bamburi, Ganjoni and Thika and we were able to support
close to two thousand (2000) children.
Our Institutional Strengthening work also continued through 2009. A number Thank you very much and God bless.
of senior staff attended courses in various
aspects of Accounts, Programming, HIV I am therefore looking forward
to developing an effective Foster
Watoto Wema Maisha Mema
programs have been guided accordingly. Our main focus in 2010 will be to
develop and restructure our Rescue and Reintegration program to focus
more on empowering communities and caregivers to look after our children.
The aim of this new emphasis is to reduce the need for institutionalization of
children and to tilt the responsibility back to the families and communities. I
am therefore looking forward to developing an effective foster care program to
support our rescue work.
Finally, I thank all our donors, and wellwishers, who have supported us and
made it possible for us to achieve the milestones recorded in this report. I am
deeply grateful to the board members, our incredible fundraisers and staff
whose commitment continues to be of immense inspiration to me personally.
The result of this commitment is evident in the lives of the children who are
clearly transformed and others given a chance and hope for a better future.
I look forward to working with you all through 2010 and pray for continued
success in our endeavour to make a difference.
Rescue and Reintegration
We rescue children from difficult circumstances and provide them with education and skills training,
nutrition, psychosocial support, healthcare and shelter, as well as family tracing and re-integration. 500
street children were reached through the Drop In Centre rescue services while 878 accessed HIV risk
reduction services.
Psychosocial Support
Our PSS department supported the children through trauma, grief and such other conditions through
counseling, relationship building and life-skills classes. Music is a special part of Wema and the Kenya
National Music Festival (KNMF) has therefore become an important and a very appropriate benchmark.
It gives the children opportunity to compete with their peers and it really helps to produce positive energy,
bringing out the best in them. In 2009 our choir and traditional dancers scooped 3 number one trophies and
2 number two trophies. They made us proud. The program helped 195 children / youth directly, 30 being in
Orphans with a community caregiver in the Thika Rescue Centre.
Bamburi
Education and Skills Training
Wema Centre’s main focus has always been on the Education of street children and orphans and we
worked very hard to deliver services in this area at various levels of education. However, the public schools
have serious capacity challenges such as lack of teaching materials and teaching staff due to the huge

Prevention and Resource Mobilization. Care Program to support our number of children enrolled, and this affected the performance of our children. The good thing is that we

Watoto Wema Maisha Mema

rescue work managed to get the children into schools, who were previously opting for early marriages or street life. So it
In terms of program development, we
started seeking more opportunities for was not all bad.
child adoptions, foster care and family re-integration. In addition, our 2009 Lucy Mahihu Yinda The Project comprised of the Early Childhood Education, Remedial Classes, Free Primary Education,
Rescue and Integration program therefore provided psychosocial support Executive Director Secondary School, Vocational Training in; Tailoring, cookery and computer classes, University and College
and livelihood skills to slum and street care groups, empowering them to care education. We Provide education support in terms of materials including books, uniform, school bags,
for their children, thus contributing directly towards lasting solutions to the shoes and stationery to all children on our education program.
problem of street children.
Going forward, a detailed Household Assessment was undertaken amongst Early Childhood Development
our beneficiaries and results documented to inform future programming. This 160 children benefited through the Bamburi Centre’s nursery school classes.
assessment has helped us produce more relevant projects and our 2010
primary school education
Moving towards sustainability We supported 400 children at Primary school level in Mombasa and Thika . A number of children were
to see the old and Boy scout in the Thika outreach Program enrolled in Private Primary schools, courtesy of special sponsorships. These children were awarded
Dear Friends, the young from all sponsorships because of their high grades that called for special support.
The year 2009 was a very communities come to The children attended the following Primary Schools:
blessed year for the Fundraising support us. We thank Athena Primary School Kuraiha Primary School
Committee. We began the God for such a great Bamburi Primary Mary Joy Primary and
fundraising plans with a resolve community of Wema Busy Bee Academy Kindergarten
to progress further from the friends and look forward Citadel School Mihang’o Primary School
previous years. My team to continuing the joint effort for the benefit of this country’s needy children. Garissa Road School Mugomoini Primary School
demonstrated their commitmentAs expressed during the fundraising effort, the Wema program is expanding General Kago Primary School Ol-Sulutia Primary School
to supporting Wema Centre’s due to the growing number of needy children and youth. We Jamhuri Primary School Our Queen of Holy Rosary
programs and activities and every therefore need to raise much more support for the day to day Kameno Primary School Rise & Shine
We thank God for such a great
member worked extremely hard knocking community of Wema friends and needs of these children. We also appreciate that there is a Kaza Ndani Primary School St. Claret
on many doors. Thankfully, people look forward to continuing the joint need to help Wema sustain its programs in the long term. Kenyatta Primary School St. Elizabeth
responded well and we reached our effort for the benefit of this country’s St. Patricks Primary School
needy children. We have considered helping Wema set up an Endowment Kiembeni Baptist
target of Ksh. 9 million, through special Trust Fund, in partnership with corporate sponsors and Kiembeni Estate Thika Primary School
corporate sponsorships awards, and sale foundations. This we believe is a noble goal that can be Kimosho Primary School Valentine Academy
of Gala Dinner cards. achieved in the near future, with your support. Kirima Mwaro Thika Barracks Primary School
The Gala Dinner which was held at the Whitesands on 29th October 2009, Thika Muslim Primary
With those few remarks and on behalf of the fundraising committee, I wish School
was a resounding success. The guest of honor Mr. Jimmy Kibaki graced the express my sincere gratitude to all our supporters who contributed in many
occasion together with other prominent business people and Well-wishers ways towards the success of the 2009 fundraising effort.
from various sectors. The evening MC, the well known Caroline Mutoko of Wema ECD Class pupils
KISS 100, created a relaxed yet formal atmosphere and the Wema kids, The next Gala Dinner is planned for Friday, 29th October 2010, and once
the Safari Sounds band, and a special guest artist, Amani, performed to again I appeal for your presence and support.
Remedial education
everyone’s delight. The presence of the children reminded everyone of Many thanks and God Bless
the great work that Wema is doing, enabling street children to be totally The program continued to support children and youth who had either dropped out of school or never been to school and needed special coaching in order to
Chairman-Wema Fundraising Committee join the mainstream education system. We supported 30 children in Mombasa and children in 10 Thika.
transformed and reintegrated into society. Nick Munyi
The 2009 Gala dinner was indeed a beautiful event, and it was a pleasure

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 Highlights Highlights
Wema at work 2009 Wema at work 2009

Secondary school eDUCATION Ganjoni Rescue Centre We supported children through Primary and secondary schools and had 35
beneficiaries sitting their Primary School examinations at the end of the year.
We sponsored 40 children who were enrolled either as new or continuing students at In the course of the year, we conducted research that established that the
the following schools: younger street children make daily collections and give the proceeds to the
Bamburi Community High School small business owners and older street boys. We established Maathai Market
Kisauni High School and the main Bus terminus to be the main areas of residence for the children
Mbaraki Girls Gituro Secondary School and subsequently altered our strategy to target these particular two areas.
Githumu Secondary School In terms of our Psychosocial Support activities, 2009 was a busy year for the
Kirwara Secondary School staff and children at the Rescue Centre, with Scouting, Football and volleyball
Ambira Boys High School games taking the most prominence. All the 141 children were involved in
Kenyatta Secondary School scouting drills.
Karura SDA School
In August, Wema Centre oversaw the creation of the “Leo Umoja ni Nguvu
Kiangwenyi Upperhill School
Self Help Group”, a Care Giver group with a membership of 31 women and 1
Our Lady Queen of Perpetual Succour
man.
Mutomo Girls’ Secondary
The main challenge in the year was an increase in the number of children in
Boys at the Ganjoni rescue centre during a remedial class session need of nutritional support, thus over-stretching our food budget.
vocational tRAINING
This program offers Tailoring and dress-making, Cookery and Computer, Music Instruments courses at Wema Centre Bamburi where 60 youth qualified in 2009. The Ganjoni Outreach Project was an avenue for identifying orphaned and
Case Study- Janet Middah Ngota
Watoto Wema Maisha Mema

We also sent 21 youth to various polytechnics as follows: vulnerable Children from the streets of Mombasa.

Watoto Wema Maisha Mema

Kisauni Polytechnic
Mombasa Polytechnic University College
Christian Industrial Training College
Mombasa Technical training Institute
Mwanjila Youth Polytechnic
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
We sponsored 2 students to University in 2009, one being a continuing student Daystar University and the other a new who joined a degree course at Kenyatta
University.
Advocacy
We have continued to speak on the plight of street children and orphans, particularly on the issuance of Birth
Certificates and National Identity Cards. The Wemathon a 10 km walk around Mombasa town, which is one of
our important avenues for advocacy was held in September at the Aga Khan Sports Centre, partly sponsored
by Coca-Cola Africa. The event campaigned against sexual abuse and exploitation of children through the
messages carried in the media and by over 1500 participants and the guest speakers.
HIV/AIDS Prevention
We cannot work with disadvantaged children without giving some attention to HIV/
AIDS Prevention. This program is quite extensive and is basically mainstreamed
School children participate in the 2009 in all our activities. In 2009, the program benefited at least 1600 street children,
Wemathon
community orphans and youth.
Income Generating Activities
We have learned many lessons through the year, including the need to build
sustainability of our programs. To this end we made greater effort in the develop-
The Wema Girls’ Acrobatic Troupe in ment of the existing income generating opportunities in the Agriculture, Cookery,
action Tailoring, training in musical instruments and Computer training depart-
ments. The Income Generating Activities (IGA) department was also the
beneficiary of a grant from Safaricom Foundation, which went a long
way towards establishing viable income generating activities.
The lifestyles of these children are characterized by lack of shelter, education, Janet comes from a family of 3 children, of which she is the eldest. Her
health care, parental care and good nutritional. parents divorced when she was very young and she and her siblings lived
with their mother at their grandmothers. Unfortunately, Janet’s mother died
One of the major components of the Ganjoni Outreach project in 2009 was
early in 1997. Her grandmother was unable to care for them or support them.
the feeding programme. We hosted hungry and desperate street children and
They had no food and could not afford school fees, which forced Janet to drop
provided them with breakfast, lunch and supper. We rescued 121 boys and
provided them shelter, education and food and reunited some of them with out of school in class 3. Janet started hawking “Sukari Nguru” (molasses) to
their families. get money for food, but it was not enough. Some of Janet’s friends advised
her that life was easier on the streets, so one morning she decided to take
We also conducted workshops on Children’s Rights and continued to work in her sister and leave
partnership with the Children’s department and the children’s Court in carrying
out interventions for children in need of rescue.
home.
Janet and her sister
The Ganjoni Outreach Centre faced many challenges including high boarded a train to
overheads particularly due to high rental charges. We therefore decided to Nairobi and hid in the
relocate the residential facilities to a more affordable house in Tudor, while toilet for two hours
managing the Outreach activities from the Bamburi Centre. to avoid the ticket
collector. They sat
and slept on sacks
Thika Rescue Centre of maize, fish and
The Thika Rescue Centre (in Central Province) is located near the heavily potatoes for the
populated Kiandutu Slums in the outskirts of Thika Town. In 2009, we provided duration of the night-
food, uniform, school bags and books, remedial classes, scouting training and long journey.
uniforms, and shelter to more than 141 beneficiaries.
The two girls
continued to
Mombasa. They
arrived there a day
later, then stayed at the Train station three days. They were fed by good
Samaritans and eventually, a kind person took them to the children’s
department who then referred them to the Wema centre for care and
protection.
At the Wema Centre, with intense counselling and support, Janet settled well
and learnt that God has a reason and a purpose for everyone’s life and she
made up her mind to work hard and forget the past.
Wema Centre took her through school, after which she joined Daystar
University and did a degree in Accounting graduating with honours in June
2009. Janet is currently working at Econet Wireless in Nairobi, has rented her
own house and passionately pursuing her dream to succeed in her career and
influence her peers towards success.

4 5
 Highlights Wema in Figures
Wema at work 2009

She is still a part of Wema, visits often and
supports her Wema brothers and sisters through
their personal challenges.
Janet Says:
“Wema has been my home for the last 12 years.
It’s a home that I am very proud of. It has been
my mother and my father and has shaped
my future and destiny beautifully through
continuous love and encouragement.”
streets. A few months after moving to Mombasa, Reagan was arrested by
Municipal Council Askaris and remanded to the Likoni Remand Home for 9
months. Reagan recalls this to be one of the loneliest and most trying times
in his life. On his release, Reagan decided to go back to Maboxini to his
friends. To his dismay, Reagan discovered that the Municipal council had
destroyed Maboxini and he could not locate most of his friends. It was at this
point that he opted to go to the Wema Rescue Centre, then located in Kizingo.
He stayed at the Centre for a year, during which time he went through the
rehabilitation program and remedial classes. In 2007, Reagan was enrolled
in class four at Msingi Bora Primary School. After a few months, his teachers
decided that he should jump a class and so, before the end of 2007, Reagan
had been promoted a class ahead.
Reagan managed to score the highest marks in the 2008 Msambweni District
exams and was again moved up two classes. He also scored the highest
As demonstrated in the attached highlights, the year was an extremely
busy one for Wema Centre coupled with a reduction in funding from a major
donor whose grant period was coming to a close. However, we stretched the
available funding and accomplished all our targeted activities supporting a
large increase in number of beneficiaries. The biggest budget item as usual
was education followed by nutrition. The entire nutrition budget and some
medical expenses were funded from our local fundraising efforts courtesy of
our very able and committed fundraising committee, and some contribution
from our Income Generating Projects.
We were fortunate to get the support of Safaricom Foundation for the first
time, which went towards the Income Generating Projects. However, we still
need new funding partners in order to broaden our funding base and we are
therefore holding discussions with potential funders in respect of the next
few years program activities. We are at the same time working towards long
term sustainability by expanding our Income Generating Projects as well as
planning for an Endowment Trust Fund which we hope to establish before the
end of 2010. Amount Kshs
Edu
Nut
Med
Amount Kshs
Out

marks in his class in the 1st Term of 2009, winning the Best Pupil Award. He Adv
Janet at her graduation in June, 2009
sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 2009 and scored an
Live
Psy
amazing 405 Marks out of 500, earning himself a place at Ambira Boys’ High Education & training
School in Western Kenya. Nutrition
Medical & Health
Outreach

Watoto Wema Maisha Mema

Advocacy
“Reagan is obedient and hardworking. He is a role model at the Outreach Livelihood support
Watoto Wema Maisha Mema

Centre. His example encourages other boys to see themselves succeed Psycho-social support

despite whatever hardships”: Adonis Odida, Project Officer, Ganjoni.

Case Study- Reagan Ochieng
Reagan does not know
exactly when he was
born, though he Pictorial
believes he was
born around 1994
in Siaya District,
Nyanza province.
He was told by
his relatives that
his parents died
when he was an
infant. In his early
childhood, Reagan
lived with his Aunt
in Kisumu and was
attending Abinjo
Primary School,
and later Achage Happy faces tell of the excitement and joy of graduation at
Primary School, the Halfway House graduation, May 2009
both in Siaya.
In 2002, Reagan decided to
leave home for the streets
of Kisumu. He lived there
for 3 months before moving Trustees Board Management Auditors
to Gikomba in Nairobi. Life
Reagan receives an award for Best Hon. Edwin Yinda Marlene Reid Marlene Reid PKF Kenya
in Gikomba was very tough
Student,1st Term 2009 Marlene Reid Simeon Taabu Lucy Yinda Certified Public
for the young, rural boy
Simeon Taabu Lucy Yinda Henry Otieno Accountants
from Kisumu. However, Lucy Yinda Fred Ojiambo Eddah Mugo P.O Box 90553-80100
Reagan adapted and Fred Ojiambo Dr. Paul Wangai Jnr. Mombasa Kenya
learnt to cope with the difficulties he encountered. Together with his friends, Dr. Paul Wangai Jnr. Benson Mbogoh
he collected and sold scrap metal for food and carried loads for the traders. Ngari Mahihu Amb. Tabitha Seii
Reagan recalls how he would prepare his meals using old tins. Philemon Mwaisaka
Dr. Florence Musiime
In 2005, after 3 long and hard years at Gikomba, Reagan moved to Mombasa
and settled at Maboxini Slums. Unfortunately, Reagan got into the habit of The kindergarten choir preparing for a presentation
sniffing glue and smoking cigarettes, if only to dull the pain of living on the

6 7

Partners and Institutional
Donors
Academy for EDucation
development (AED cap Kenya)
Kenya Community Development
Fund (KCDF)
International Childcare Trust -
UK (ICT - UK)
DANIsh International
Development Agency (DANIDA)
Terres des Hommes (denmark)
Fund for Action Through
Education (FATE )
Safaricom foundation
Sponsors / Regular Donors
African Cotton Industries
Bahari Beach Hotel
Bowyer Mahihu & CO. Advocates
Watoto Wema Maisha Mema
Mamujee Brothers Foundation
Marcella Collaluca
Raymond O’ Sullivan
Spanfreight Shipping Ltd
Stephen Bradley
Tss Grain Millers
Venus Tea Brokers Ltd
Zebra E.V
Volunteer Organizations
Global Exchange
Minnesota School of
International Development
Wema Gala Dinner 2009
Committee
ABDUL A SAMJI
Alex Leteipan
Catrin Schwerring
Elizabeth Wasunna - ochwa
Jean-Baptiste Gasangwa
Lucy Yinda
Narmin Somji
Nick Munyi
Said Twahir
Wanjiru Kabiru
Wemathon 2009 Committee
Agnes Mutunga
Eddah Mugo
Henry Otieno
Lloyd Muriuki
Phillip kimeu
8
Wema Friends
Roll of Honour 2009
Wemathon 2009 Participants
Aga Khan Academy Kenya Petroleum Co.
Allidina Visram Kilindini Travel Centre
Braeburn International Kiss 100 FM
Busy Bee Academy Lab International
CITADEL Academy Leisure Lodges and Resorts
Coast Academy Liaison Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Coast Girls’ High Lion of Kenya Insurance
Ganjoni Primary school Company Ltd
GIBBS Academy Lucas Oyuyo
Loreto Convent Mahihu Family
Mama Ngina Girls Mini Bakeries Ltd.
Mary Joy MSC Shipping
Mombasa Academy Mufaddal Enterprises
Mombasa Polytechnic Mustapha Enterprises
Nyali Primary Nairobi Homes Ltd.
Oshwal Academy Naomi Shaaban Hon, Dr
Rise and Shine Petro Oil (K) Ltd.
Shree Swaminarayan Pistis Insurance Brokers
SOS Primary Rising Star Commodities Ltd.
St. Kevin Group of Schools Road Tainers
Valentine Academy S. Khosla
Wema Gala Dinner 2009 Sarova Whitesands
sponsors Siginon Freight Ltd.
Sitima
A. Langat
Abbas Traders Ltd. Skynet Ltd
Southern Cross Safaris
Abid Alam (Kusco)
AD Architects Supply Linkages Ltd
Ali Zubeidi (African Liner) Symbion Kenya Ltd.
Ashman Puri T.S.S. Group Of Companies
Bahari Beach Hotel Tea Brokers Ltd.
Bhavin Motors Tea Warehouses
Texplast Industries Ltd.
Brown Ondego
The Norfolk Hotel
Cargill Kenya Ltd.
The Tamarind Group of
Caroline Mutoko
CfC Stanbic Bank Companies
Charles Njonjo Thiomi Limited
Chris Groom Tradecon
Commercial Bank Of Africa Ltd. Union Tea
David Langat Van Rees BV
Dev Enterprises Venus Tea Brokers Ltd.
Windsor Golf and Country Club
Diamond Trust Bank (K) Ltd.
E. A. Cables Ltd.
E. A. Packaging Industries
E.A. Tea Trade
Earnest Munyi (Pc)
Euroken Ltd
Freight Forwarders Kenya
Ltd.
Global Tea & Commodities
Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd.
H. E. President Mwai Kibaki
Habib Bank AG Zurich
Hamid Aboo
Highway Carriers Ltd.
Holbud
Holiday Resorts Ltd.
Housing Finance Ltd.
Ideal Ceramics Ltd.
Imperial Bank Ltd.
James Finlay Tea (K) Ltd
Jayne Githere
Mr. Jimmy Kibaki presents Mr. Yusuf Mamujee the
Joy
“Wema Special Bronze Award” during the Gala Dinner
KenGen
2009 event
Kenya Airways
Kenya Navy
.