Clinton is an 8-year-old boy and is the last born in a family of 8 children. He cannot remember when the parents died but can only explain how the father was sick with fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting and could not eat. The father suffered for only a short time then passed away. Clinton was staying in Nairobi during his father’s death and was only informed about it and possible saw the grave. But for his mother, he says that she suffered from many diseases like stomach pain, diarrhea, headache and many others….

His sister was t he one nursing his mother till the mother also passed away. After mother’s death, they went to stay with their uncle.

At his uncle’s place, Clinton had the duty of look after cattle, collecting firewood as he herds the cattle and this was his routine. He would occasionally attend school but sometimes would be at home because of lack of fees. He did not have uniform and so was going to school in civilian. Sometimes they would alternate between his uncle’s place and his grandmother’s place. When there was no food in their uncle’s place, they would go to their grandmother’s place and vice versa. But if there was none in both places then they would go hungry. Occasionally, they would be caned if they do wrong.

The boy prefers being at JSRC because at the centre they get good regularly, he can go to school, they are provided with uniform, smart clothes, shoes, books, pens and many others as per individuals needs. So to him here is a real home. This is because his family has been splited and some of his brothers stay at Yimbo, others Asembo while others at Kojuok.

Clinton’s background is a clear indication of the problems orphans experience especially if both parents are gone. Other than family being split as its members move to stay with different people, individual orphans experience a lot of difficulties in staying at their newly founded homes e.g., this boy’s case inspite of being young, he is exposed to heavy chores at home and times being forced to do them. Because failure to do them makes them miss meals in many occasions. But in reality a child does value food more than anything else in life and could not possibly accept any situation leading to them missing it. This makes orphans strain a lot to do these duties.

Evans is a 12-year-old boy in a family of 3 and is the last born. Both his parents died in 1996. The mother died first followed by the father. Asked on the nature of sickness the parents suffered from, Evans says that his mother was suffering from malaria and asthma. So she had breathing difficulties. This led to her being on and off of hospital. She was being nursed by a well wisher who was staying with them. One night, they wake up only to find that the mother had passed away. After his mother’s death, the father also started feeling unwell. He also had chest problems; but one day he fell down and fainted, then he was taken to hospital and was admitted. He stayed there for only two weeks and he passed away. Immediately after his death, the family was broken, his elder sister went to stay with their maternal grandmother, the other went to stay with their uncle while Evans went to stay with his paternal grandmother.

At his grandmother’s place, he would wake up early in the morning milk cows, prepare breakfast and after taking it, they would go hunting; if successful, they would bring their prey and prepare it as a meal and other than that they also herd their grandmother’s cattle. They were lucky to have a cousin who would do other household chores for them. His uncle would finance their grandmother so as to cater for their needs. Incase there was no money; they would go hungry or go to their uncle’s place to find some food. The greatest problem Evans had with his grandmother was her reluctancy to his schoolwork. She would at times prefer them going to herd cattle than to school. When sick, his grandmother would not excuse him from duties saying that he was pretending and instead forced him to work though he suffered from asthma. At times he would miss meals when his grandmother refuses to give them food claiming that it would be taken at a later time.

Asked about how he feels about his stay at JSRC he says that he is pleased with being here. He describes it as a more relaxed, better environment for schooling. Unlike home where they would work endlessly, here they only do assigned duties after finishing they embark on their own business mostly playing. Here, he would be excluded from duties when sick while at home, he would only be abused incase he says that he is feeling unwell. Also they are provided with clothes, shoes, uniforms, books, pens and any other necessities but at home there were hardly these provisions.

Collins is the third born in a family of four. He cannot remember who his father was and even when he died. All he remembers is that his father died when he had not reached school going age (probably 3-4 years old). He narrates how his mother died when he was in class one. His mother had gone to see his aunt and got sick while she was at her aunt’s place. She died there and so Collins and his brother were informed of their mother’s death. They were taken to the place where their mother died and was buried.

Since then, he had been living with his uncle whom he sad is fairly good to them; unlike their aunt (uncle’s wife) who constantly scolds them, beats them at any mistake in absence of their uncle. He says that with them, they are never forgiven for every mistake done but their cousins are never punished for the same mistakes. You can imagine how bitter it might be if it were you experiencing the same. For example in schoolwork if Collins and his brothers did not perform well, they would miss meals for that while the cousins never miss. Their aunt would send them off to sleep on empty stomach while their cousins (her biological children) who sleep in the main house would be given food in their absence. At their uncle’s place, Collins and his brothers would go fishing during weekends and holidays to supplement family needs. This turns to be very dangerous especially in consideration to their age. He is just a class five student but strongly claim that he can take us fishing if we would provide the necessities since he knows all the procedures involved. Other than those, the family size does not guarantee the children enough moral and psychological support as most of the times they would be striving to survive.

Today Collins is a very happy boy in his newly founded home (JSRC) and he is very grateful. He says that unlike his previous home where he would go without meals, would be beaten; JSRC is a very pleasant, comfortable home for him in his lifetime.

Maxwell is an 11-year-old boy in a family of four. He narrates how he painfully lost both parents simultaneously and was caught up in the web of orphan hood. His father was working in Eldoret with his stepmother while he and his other brothers were staying with their mother at home. The mother started feeling sick and after sometimes felt better. It was during this period that they were caught unaware of their father’s serious illness. It dawned on them when the father was brought home in serious condition and it took only four days to pass away.

After his father’s death, their mother’s illness reoccurred and that time it was so severe that she also died the same year as their father, that was in 2001 when the boy was in class four. Thereafter he moved to stay with his grandparents and his two brothers went with him while their younger brother went to stay with their maternal grandparents. This shows how that family was disintegrated due to loss of both parents. Though orphaned at an early age, Maxwell is very grateful to his grandparents and uncles whom he says strive hard to provide for their needs. He has no reports of mistreat from his guardians but is more related as the grandparents do not beat or cane them as their mother used to do. Maxwell is also very grateful to his step mother whom he says occasionally comes home and brings them presents such as clothes and other foodstuffs.

Above all, the boy is very grateful to his new home – JSRC, which he describes as a home far much better to him compared to his real home. He is very happy and enjoys being with his fellow orphans sharing the same experiences. Though he occasionally feels homesick, he is determined to stick to his new home whatsoever.

Helidah is an 8-year-old girl and is the last born in a family of seven. Her mother died when she was 5 years old. Asked about the father, she says that she never saw her father except in photograph. She explains in details how her mother suffered for so long and died the slowest, most painful death. During the period while her mother was sickling, the girl says that there were her aunties who were staying with them to take care of their sick mother.

On the nature of sickness her mother from, she says that there was diarhoea, fever, lack of appetite and more so general body weakness. Gradually, it reached a point when the mother could not stand or walk on her own. She could not even eat. This she says went for over a period of 6 months. Thereafter the only thing she can now remember is the sight of her mother lying down; as thin as a skeleton and with rushes and sores all over the body. The girl really stresses on how her mother’s skin was raptured and so red that it could not be touched.

Immediately after the death of the mother, the family was disintegrated. Some of her elder brothers and sisters went to stay with their grandparents while the little girl was taken by her aunt. At her aunt’s place, Helidah had bitter experience. She narrates how warmly and lively she was welcomed at her aunt’s place but these were short-lived. After sometime later, the aunt started mistreating this girl to unsustainable level. She would wake up very early to start the morning chores. At that tender age, she was expected to carry almost all the household chores. Incase food, especially breakfast was not ready by the assigned time, and she would be beaten and would obviously miss the meal. It reached a point when Helidah could no longer bear this situation, she ran to her sister’s place for a break. Her aunt could not allow this, instead she went for the girl and took her back blaming that she had disappeared without her concern. Being young and indecisive, she could not resist but returned to her aunt unwillingly. She explains that the aunt would not allow her to stay with her sister in fear that she would disclose how she is being mistreated and that was why her aunt falsely accused her of misbehaving.

Now if asked on how she feels about her newly founded home JSRC, the girl says that she is very happy and grateful to be here. She says that unlike her aunt’s place where she was being mistreated and beaten, frequently missing meals, here is now a real and more free place to live in.

Boniface is a 13-year old boy in a family of six and is the last-born. He never saw his mother except in a photograph. Though his father is alive, they are living apart and he last saw his father when he was in class one. Due to lack of fees, he dropped of school and started again only after joining JSRC.

After his mother’s death, Boniface moved to stay with his paternal grandmother who did not welcome him. She would do wonders to them. She would deny them food and would not allow them inside her house. They would be restricted to stay in their mother’s house. At times she would refuse to give them food, would not buy them clothes, would not pay fees for them but instead would abuse them and throw insults at them all the times. One day she chased them to go and live and cook for themselves in their own house. So Boniface together with his brother went to stay with heir stepmother. But their grandmother would not give their stepmother peace, she would abuse her as she likes and this made her to live the home. After this, his elder brother got married and so they stayed with their sister-in-law to care for them as their brother searched for food.

Trouble began when his brother moved to town with his wife, leaving them alone. After a short time their food got finished but their grandmother would not consider them. They went without food for 3 consecutive days. On the third day, their brother arrived by luck only to find them so hungry and downcast. Seeing that, their brother took them to their maternal grandmother. Ever since Boniface came to his maternal grandparents’ place, he had never seen his father and had not gone to his paternal home either.

Asked on how he feels about the centre, he says that he has experienced a lot of change personally. Apart from attending school, they are given smart clothing, regular and sufficient food, good bedding, shoes, uniforms, books, they would play together. He hopes of staying at the centre as a well-disciplined boy throughout his stay.

John is a 13-year-old boy in a family of three, he is the last-born. His father died in 1995 while his mother died in 1998. After the death of both parents they went to live with their uncle. The uncle had 10 kids and by then only 4 were residing with him.

At their uncle’s place, John experience a very hard time in his life. He would occasionally go to school and from school they would embark on household duties like fetching water, cleaning utensils, dusting the house and washing clothes. The saddest part of the story is that while John and his brothers perform all these duties, the uncle’s children would sit back chatting happily and waiting for meals, sometimes they would be reading. John was also not provided with clothes at his uncle’s place, other than that he lacked materials for school such as books, pens and other school necessities. In addition to those food was also inadequate and at times when there was just little food. John and his brothers would go hungry while their cousins eat whatever little that was there. He says that they would lock themselves up in their assigned room by the time their cousins were eating. The situation was too harsh till his sister found it unbearable and ran away to unknown place till now. He says that he preferred being in school and would not want to go back home thinking of what would happen at home. Once in school he did not intend to go back home. This situation went on till it reached a day when John was taken to join JSRC.

Asked how he feels about his new home; he is very proud of being at JSRC with so many reasons making him happy at the home. For example he says that they have good sleeping allocation, regular food supply, continous schooling, provision of clothes, shoes, uniforms, books, pens and many others; good Medicare when sick as they get medicine at the home, happy to be together with fellow suffering orphans. They are able to play varied games together; he also likes the way the duty rooster is arranged.

Alfred is a 12-year-old boy in a family of six and is the last-born. He cannot remember when his parents away. The only thing he can remember is that he lost both of them in the same year and he was in class one by then. After the death of his parents, Alfred moved to stay with his stepmother. At their stepmother’s place, Alfred and his brother experienced a lot of difficulties; their stepmother could not give them food. Instead she would only give her 7 children everything prepared. At this times Alfred and his brothers would lock themselves up in their mother’s house. Outside the family, their stepmother would claim how she is taking care of them while in real sense that was not the case. One day, she openly told them that she did not need them in her house so they should go and stay at their mother’s house so, their elder sister started a small business to provide for them while in their house. But staying alone was not an easy task, they had so many problems. At times they would sleep hungry when there was no food, they were not going to school, as there was no fees, uniforms and even books. They did not have proper clothes to wear. Sometimes when they wore torn uniform, they would be chased from school to go for good ones, which were not there.

From school, Alfred would wash utensils, bring water, bathe and thereafter search for firewood. His greatest change in the newly founded home (JSRC) is the idea of prayer. While at home they did not practice praying, here children do pray daily before going to sleep. Also at home they did not mind about school possible due to problems they were undergoing while here they do go to school regularly. He had never imagined of reaching his current class (class 3) at any one moment. He adds that they are provided with clothes, shoes, bible, beddings and many others as per one’s needs. He is happy of good food they eat at the centre which is of regular supply. Alfred is also grateful of the rules that are assigned to guide them at the centre and he hopes to abide by them.

Churchill is a 13-year-old, born in a family of 4 and is the third born. His father died after a short illness but the mother was bed-ridden for almost four months. During his mother’s ailing, his grandmother was nursing her during daytime, while at night Churchill would be left to care for his mother. This was an impossible task for him to perform, as the mother could not stand on her own. She would call for this and that and all the night, this little boy was the only one around to provide whatever his mother asked for. All those times, their grandmother was the one providing for their needs. It reached a point when his mother would no longer eat any thing. She grew thin and thinner, she was also very weak, eventually she died.

After the death of his mother, Churchill and his younger brother stayed with their grandmother, while other brothers moved to stay with their aunt. At their grandma’s place, they experienced a lot of difficulties e.g. he could not go to school due to lack of fees, books and other necessities like uniform, there was no enough food to eat, at times they would go hungry without meals. Incase of a mistake his uncle would severely cane and at such times Churchill would feel bad and start thinking of his departed parents. He says that these were happening to them due to their parents’ absence. Other than those, Churchill did not have shoes, he would walk bare foot and we really longed for shoes.

Asked on how he feels of his new home (JSRC). Churchill prefers being here because of good care and protection they are getting. Unlike his former home, he is now going to school daily, from school they would find meals ready; on weekends after washing clothes, they would relax, chat and play games together. But at home they would work the whole day. Churchill is determined to stick to his new home indefinitely.