SUNSHINE CENTRE
Transforming the lives of street boys in Naivasha, Kenya
WHY STREET BOYS?
They are driven to the street because of poverty, hunger, and abuse and neglect at home.
Street boys lack a stable home, regular food and education. They are also isolated from the community by their behaviour and often get into trouble with the police.
Street boys often die of disease and in fights, or may be lynched by mobs if caught stealing.
TRANSFORMING LIVES
At the Sunshine Centre we provide for the immediate and long-term needs of over 140 street boys, through:
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Safe shelter with regular, nutritious food;
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Restarting their education at an appropriate level;
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Providing counselling and spiritual support;
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Reconnecting them to their family (or extended family) during the school holidays;
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Reconnecting them to the community through activities such as football matches against local teams;
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Helping them find work when they finish their education.
SUCCESSES
James was a street boy. We cared for him for 10 years, providing him with a home, education, love and encouragement.
After a difficult start, he did well at school and became an athletic champion. These skills served him well when he applied to be a ranger with Kenya Wildlife Service.
Once a nuisance on the streets, James went on to play a vital role protecting Kenya's wildlife heritage.
Street boy success story...
Poverty forced John onto the streets when he was just seven years old. For three years, he struggled to survive, often going hungry. One day, he met Mama Chege, a staff member from the Sunshine Centre.
“I hadn’t eaten for two days,” John recalls. “So I told Mama Chege, ‘Buy me food, then I’ll tell you my story.’ She gave me plenty of food — and I shared my story with her.”
In 2009, John joined the Sunshine Centre. With our support, he returned to school and later earned a diploma in agriculture at Meru University of Science and Technology.
Today, John rents two acres of land where he grows sugar snap peas for export, employing up to 10 workers during peak seasons. He hasn’t forgotten his past — he regularly reaches out to those in need, offering food and casual work to young men so they don’t end up on the streets as he once did.
“I have a vision that one day I will have a farm of my own — the Sunshine Farm.”
How the Sunshine Centre started...
In 2004, Julius was a street boy. He asked for help and we said we would build him a home. His reply was,
"But I am hungry today"
We gave him what little we had with us, and went back to the UK to start fund-raising to build him a home.
Tragically, Julius was killed on the streets before the Sunshine Centre was completed. Our conversation with this boy who died too young is one of the reasons we do what we do.