‘‘Make a big circle,’’ teacher Catherine Munyau calls out, amid the tangle of little arms, legs and eyes curiously sizing up the visitors, among them Dr Helen D.Gayle, the president and CEO of CARE USA.

The nursery which is located in the sprawling Kibera slums at a place popularly known as Raila, is a CARE Kenya Early Childhood Development Project (ECD) funded by USAID. 

CARE is an international relief and development agency, which has been operating in Kenya since 1968 whose global mission is to eradicate poverty through the provision of social and economic services. 

Kibera slum, which occupies an area of about 5 square kilometres, is home to more people than it can comfortably accommodate and although the government recognizes it administratively, the residents do not enjoy the social services offered by the government. 

The slum dwellings comprise of informal settlements made of mud and rusted iron sheets with garbage and open sewers lining spewing out into the foot paths and door-steps of the dwellings. 

The stench from the burst sewer is suffocating but residents go about their business seemingly unconcerned. In fact, some residents enjoy a cup of tea and maandazi, prepared under unhygienic conditions. 

In the cold of July, half naked children wander about the streets, oblivious to the health risks that surround them. These are the critical circumstances that CARE is determined to address. 

CARE has managed to involve the Kibera Area Advisory Council in the coordination of children services and most importantly setting up medical camps in collaboration with medical centers such as Lang’ata Health Center, to cater for ECD children. 

In addition, CARE has invested in massive public education campaigns on the importance of ECD and has trained 125 caregivers and staff on how to offer psychological support to the children and the required nutrition among other services. 

ECD centers deal with the foundation of a child’s growth and development. They strive to facilitate the crucial cognitive, emotional and physical development expected of children. Further, the caregivers have been trained on how to monitor children’s progress and their ability to communicate their feelings and needs. 

The Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children points out that chronic poverty remains an insurmountable challenge to ensuring that there is promotion and execution of children rights. 

‘’Children are hardest hit by poverty because it strikes at the very root of their potential development-their growing bodies and minds,” the report further revealed. 

Life in the slum is harsh to children since they are deprived of their nutritional, emotional and educational needs. Orphans and other vulnerable children have become a generation at risk, exposed to acts of abuse, violence and exploitation. 

Therefore, children growing up in this environment have complex social and health needs. According to The Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has a right to parental guidance to ensure his healthy survival and development. 

CARE is committed to improving the developmental status of children growing up in communities heavily affected by HIV/AIDS by dealing with the negative socio-economic impact of the deadly disease on families. 

Moreover, the organization has been strengthening the collective capacity of communities to care for orphans and other vulnerable children.  This strategy further strengthens child protection mechanisms for children in community ECD centers. 

Back to the nursery school, Lucy Katei explains the motive behind starting a nursery school that she sustains from her heart and pocket. 

‘’These are poor people, she explains, “Imani has been a refuge for many children who not only get an education but also food, clean water to drink, emotional support and guidance.’’ 

The school is registered with the Ministry of Culture and Social Services. This is not the only CARE Kenya ECD centre in Kibera, further ahead is ZACKS Orphans Care Centre and Feeding Program, a brainchild of Charity Githinji Wahome. 

The center begun in 2003 as a feeding program at Otiende Shopping Center in Kibera but later expanded into a nursery. 

Charity Githinji’s motive for providing a feeding program: ‘’I worked as a nurse for many years. When I retired, I wanted to do something useful for this community.” 

The center has 21 children under its wings all between the ages of 2 and  6 years and its services include providing HIV awareness and preventive measures, guidance, counseling and pastoral care. 

Lucy Katei and Charity Githinji talked to Dr Helen D.Gayle, who was touring the region, about their challenges and struggle to keep their respective institutions on their feet. 

They both emphasized that with more resources they could open their doors to more needy children and also improve the condition of the children already in their care.