Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project

Since its inception in September 2006 up to this date, the Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project has been running edutainment programs in various hospitals and other children rehabilitation facilities in Nairobi and Maai Mahiu. The project involves children and youth from ages 2 to 21 and seeks to create more positive and friendlier environments as contribution to the healing and rehabilitation process. The program offers different edutainment activities.

During its pilot phase (2006-2007), the program was offered to children in the Mater Hospital. In 2007 the project diversified to Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi District Hospital, offering similar programs in various pediatric wards. Different from the Mater Hospital the children at the latter hospitals come from poor, underprivileged backgrounds, and are often unaccompanied for extended periods. In addition to this, they at times stay long without visits from any parents/caregivers. Huge hospital bills prolong their stay and in extreme cases, some children are abandoned.

In 2009, the project extended to non-hospital environments. We now reach out to children/youth with special needs (the differently able), orphans and vulnerable children/youth under the juvenile justice system.

Our objective is attained through a specialized edutainment program that integrates the following activities:

• Creative activities: art and craft, drawing, painting, making toys, card making.
• Entertaining activities: clowning, singing, music (hip hop/rap etc), dancing, drama, storytelling, puppetry and techniques, magic, acrobatics.
• Educative activities: writing e.g. poetry/ storytelling techniques, reading, board games and outdoor games.

Kenyatta National Hospital

Kenyatta National Hospital is the oldest hospital in the Kenya, founded in 1901. It is the largest national referral, teaching and research hospital in the country. The visits cover 5 levels of the hospital, a total of 12 wards and an average of 800 children per month.

Mbagathi District Hospital (MDH)

Mbagathi District Hospital borders Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Kenya, and is thus, the only option for the poor in search of medical assistance. It is also a public hospital that serves as the Tuberculosis referral centre in Nairobi. The team conducts a full day visit to MDH, once every week. During the morning sessions, activities target outpatients – children who have come for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling. In the afternoon session, the team visits the pediatric ward, where due to limitations in bed space among, 2 mothers and 2 children often have to share a bed. On average, the project visits 60 children every week.

Outreach Program

The Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project increased its scope to include an outreach program.

CTC Malaika kids

This day care centre for differently able children was initiated by CTC International to aid mothers within the local community who have children with special needs. The mothers have the opportunity to engage in activities that allow them to generate income, which they can use to support themselves and their families. The team visits a group of 16 children once a month.

Blue House Clinic

The outpatient clinic is located in Nairobi, Mathare, one of the biggest informal settlements. The clinic was set up to help diagnose and treat people with HIV Aids and TB. MSF France initiated this project in 2006 and up to this day offer daily treatment for both adults and children. The team once a month reaches out to an average of 35 children.

Nairobi Children Remand Home

The home acts as a place of safe custody and assessment center for delinquent children. It is also a transit point for displaced children pending reintegration with their families, guardians, or rehabilitation institutions. Children admitted to the homes are usually between the ages of 8 and 17. Due to many challenges faced by the juvenile home the Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project visits an average of 50 children/youth twice every month. Through this program, the children/youths are not only entertained, but there is also the psychological benefit of raising their self esteem, level of creativity and mental stimulation as opposed to just being idle or being involved in daily routines.

Youth Correction Training Centre (YCTC)

YCTC caters for rehabilitation of first time male offenders between the ages of 14 – 21 years old. The number of offenders can vary up to 100 and their maximum sentence served is 4 months. The youths (offenders) are often rejected and discriminated by the society including their own families. Their troubled backgrounds, low level of education, drug and alcohol abuse makes the reintegration process even more challenging. The stigma of being a prisoner or an ex-prisoner makes them vulnerable and damages their low self-esteem even more. Through their participation in our program we create a friendlier environment and enhance a better relationship with the prison staff. We have also been able to inspire, expose and develop talents.

Nairobi Probation Hostel

The Nairobi Probation Hostel is located in Makadara area in Nairobi. It mainly provides for needy and deserving probationers who are neither suitable for custodial sentences, nor can they serve non-custodial sentences within their normal home environment. The hostel also provides vocational training/skills and formal education with the aim of providing economic empowerment and self reliance.

Our team visits the hostel once a month, and interacts with a group of 20 probationers who are residing there. Through our activities we have been able to stimulate minds, enhance levels of self esteem and expose the probationers to potential areas of economic empowerment and expression i.e. the arts.

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