Our Mission

RHYCO

Back in January 2016, when we first met the RHYCO team, their vision was in its infancy. Bubba, John and Martha, themselves former 'rescued' street children, were meeting in a tiny corrugated office (an improvement on their original 'office' under a tree!) brainstorming how they could best help the 1000s of children growing up in the Kawangware slums, where they themselves had been raised. They recognised that they couldn't help every child and wanted to find their niche and start a programme where they would have most impact. Fast forward the clock to November 2022, the team are now the proud owners of the Bella Ciao premises in Kawangware, which offers a respite safe house, after school club, holiday scheme, medical, nutritional and counselling services for over 100 former street children.

So many reasons spring to mind when asked why we feel so passionate about supporting this team. They are without a doubt the most inspirational, selfless and devoted group of people we have ever had the privilege to meet. Bubba, John and Martha inspire confidence in everyone who meets them. We have huge admiration for their can-do attitude in the face of so many varying obstacles. Their passion and the fact that they can empathise with these children and walk with them on their journey is the key to the success of this programme. The children they support have been born into extreme poverty and yet RHYCO offers 'real hope' for the future of these children through their programme. It is about investing in the future of these children, who if given these opportunities will hopefully break the cycle of poverty which has faced previous generations of their families.

Martha once said to us - 'My wish is that time will come when no child will have to endure that unbearable pain, torture and discrimination in the name of 'street child'.  We share her dream. 

Joyful Hearts Centre

The Joyful Hearts Centre was inspired by a chance meeting between Lilian (its founder) and a group of mothers living nearby who all had children with cerebral palsy. Lilian is a trained special needs teacher and counsellor and dreamed of setting up her own centre in an area where there was little provision for children with severe disabilities. A partnership between friends in Kenya, Canada and the UK, saw Lilian's dream become a reality and the centre move into the Bella Ciao premises. Integration between the RHYCO and JHC children has seen a positive impact on all the children, parents, staff and visitors to the centre.