Feed 1,800 orphaned children in rural Kenya.

Every 3-4 months, Makindu Children's Program facilitates psycho-social support events attended by up to 1,800 or more orphaned and vulnerable children and their guardians. The next PSS day is scheduled to coincide with World AIDS Day, December 1st. An essential part of the day's activities will be the large, nutritious, hot midday meal served to all who attend. It often gets amazingly quiet at lunchtime as this might be the only nutritious meal, certainly the largest, they have had in quite a while.

PSS Fun Days are day long interactions with each of the 5 local sites that Makindu Children's Centre serves, with attendance of all the guardians and children in each area, as well as all of the local community representatives for each region. These are generally facilitated by Makindu social workers. There is a distribution of nutritional supplements, vitamins, bulk food and milk when funding allows, school materials, etc. Interactive conversation provides general support, news, and advocacy, as well as AIDS/HIV and health updates. Child counselors and community health workers hold discussions with children on topics ranging from children’s rights to life skills. Children are weighed and dewormed, and deloused when funding allows. Many engage in games and activities for the children. PSS Days have become an essential time to build and retain camaraderie and support, encouragement, emphasize advocacy, trouble shoot, general assessment and time to ensure that the Guardians, the children and the household needs and concerns are being addressed adequately.

Links:

• Nutrition Program