Furaha Orphanage is a grassroots initiative founded and directed by Esther Kadzo Kazungu. Despite having very little means, her strength, faith and vision inspired her to shelter and nurture the orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in her community.

 

The Orphanage is situated near Kilifi Town (see map), about 1.5 hrs North of Mombasa, along the Kenyan Coast.  Kilifi district is one of the poorest districts in Kenya.

 

The centre was registered as a Self-Help Group in March 2007, and obtained national registration as a Charitable Children Institution in March 2009.  The certificate was officially handed to the Orphanage in November 2009 (see attachment below).

 

With the help of local staff, Furaha Orphanage currently takes care of about 30 OVCs, girls and boys, from 5-17 years old.  The children are from the local community within Kilifi district.  Most of the children have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, malaria, or other causes of sickness.  The surrounding community is extremely poor, and the children's extended family networks are either non-existent, or unable to cope with an additional child or group of siblings.

 

All the children cared for at Furaha Orphanage are now enrolled in the local primary school (Kibaoni Primary School), where they have been performing well.  They have successfully completed their 2010 academic year, and are now wrapping up the academic year for 2011.