New home, fresh start for Ernest and Beth

With great rejoicing, Ernest and Beth moved into their new home in time to celebrate Christmas

Ernest is the father of Denis, a young boy who we found scavenging on the streets in 2015 and offered a place at the Sunshine street boys rehabilitation Centre. 

Ernest had gone to work in a quarry and broke his back when the sand he was mining collapsed on him.

While Beth was trying to care for Ernest in hospital, Denis had nobody to look after him, so went to the streets to find food.

Footsteps supporters rallied round to help Ernest and Beth, and when we heard that they faced eviction from their rented home, helped buy a plot of land and build them a new, wheelchair-friendly home.

As they settle in, they will be able to continue to re-build their lives free from the worry of eviction. We are continuing to care for Denis at the Sunshine Centre and pay for his education. 

Sunshine Boys excel in secondary school exams

Eric, Joseph and George have every reason to be pleased with themselves. For a former street boy it's a massive achievement to go to college.

The three young men all spent time living on the streets before coming to the Sunshine Centre. Under the watchful eye of caring staff, and with a warm bed and plenty of food, the boys all settled well back in school.

In November, they passed their final high school exams (KCSE) and are now ready to enrol in college for their next big step on the way to success. 

Bernard and Emmanuel pass out in the heat!

Emmanuel and Bernard have just passed out! It was a hot, sunny day, but that wasn't why they passed out!

The two young men have just completed 6 month's military style training in Kenya's National Youth Service (NYS). Having successfully passed out, they will now continue to do several months of community service before receiving training (both want to learn to handle construction machinery).

Emmanuel and Bernard were both brought up at the Tumaini Children's Home and after leaving school, joined NYS. 

Their placement of the training scheme was organised by Anne Wanjiru who runs the Maisha Bora for Youth programme which provides talented young people from deprived circumstance the opportunity to achieve their dreams!

90 (former) street boys conquer Mt Longonot

The former street boys from the Sunshine Centre dance and sing for joy as they conquer Mt Longonot!

The mountain towers 9,000 feet above the East African plains near the Sunshine Centre. Over 90 boys, staff and visitors from the UK took part in the Mt Longonot Crowd Climb in October, raising valuable sponsorship which will help maintain the Sunshine Centre as a haven for street boys.

Ernest and Beth's new home takes shape

Thanks to the amazing generosity of many supporters, Ernest and Beth's new home will be completed very soon.

Many of your were moved by the story of how Ernest, the father of Sunshine Boy Dennis, broke his back in 2015 while working in a quarry.

While his wife Beth was spending time nursing Ernest at hospital, Dennis went to live on the streets where our staff found him and offered him a safe haven at the Sunshine Home.

When Footsteps trustees Martin and Mary Print visited Dennis's home and met Ernest and Beth last year, they were moved to tears (literally!) by the sad story. Ernest and Beth explained that the landlord wanted to take back the house they rented, so, with your help, we have provided them with a home of their own...nearly! 

Robert's performance is electric

When we met Robert he was working as a poorly paid washer-up in a hotel.

Convinced he could achieve more, he asked if Footsteps would sponsor him to train as an electrician.

Checking his story, we found that he came from a poor family of 18 children. With help from older siblings, Robert struggled through high school, but with poor grades, he had little prospect of finding a good job (which is why he ended up washing dishes in the hotel kitchen).

We were delighted to sponsor him and he has now completed his first year training in Electrical Engineering at Naivasha Technical Training Institute.

Robert did so well that he is progressing on to take a higher qualification which will give him an excellent chance of finding employment as a commercial or domestic electrician when he qualifies.

Pauline steps up a gear

 Pauline has completed her first term training to be a mechanic at Naivasha Tech and has now stepped up a gear - putting the theory into practice at a local garage.

We cared for Pauline at the Tumaini Children's Home in Mombasa for many years, then helped find a place at polytechnic to train as a motor vehicle mechanic. A local garage has offered her an opportunity to train as an intern to develop her skills before she returns to college next term.