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KENYAUPCOUNTRY
In the village, it is hard to find a job and many work at farming their own land, trying to receive a small wage from selling their produce and feed their family with the same food. Cars are not so prevalent, so if you want to go somewhere, you must walk long distances. There aren’t as many schools and where there are schools, the teachers are mostly untrained. If a child living in the village has a special need or disability, it is likely they will not get an education and often are hidden away. A good portion of these children will die due to lack of proper medical care. Some of these children, from the more primitive tribes, will die when their families throw them out in the bush to be attacked by animals for that is better than having to raise a child with a disability. The ones that do not die will probably never reach their full potential and work menial jobs or do nothing at all. There are many with the mindset that someone with a disability will never amount to anything and therefore they should not be invested in. The SKY mission hopes to change this mindset by creating leaders out of these children that would be forgotten and showing the community and the country that we cannot call anybody unworthy that the Lord has called worthy. ORPHANSThere are an estimated 1.7 million orphans in the country of Kenya (more than 100,000 orphaned children living in Kibera alone). Within the next year, it is possible that this number will grow to almost 2 million. If those numbers don’t hit home, If you are an orphan and not taken in by living family members, neighbors, or kind people, you are left to fend for yourself. Many will become sick due to the rampant illnesses present, their living condition, and the lack of proper nutrition and hygiene. They find shelter, food, clothing, etc. wherever possible. They are virtually left alone unless they find the company of other children who are orphaned as well. The statistics show that half the children that are orphaned are considered street children, those that just wander and scavenge, having no one to care for them or no place to call home. These children need a place to call home. We cannot neglect them. We are mandated by God to take care of the orphans. Let us do our part. SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES
In regard to special needs, it is said that 1.8 million school-aged children have special needs. Of that 1.8 million, 1.7 million are without any educational support. Therefore, they are placed in a class with normal functioning children and fall behind in their learning. Often, they will give up trying and will drop out of school. Since there is not proper testing to find out the ability of all children, children with special needs are not getting the education that they deserve. In addition, since special needs education is not a priority, Kenya has poorly trained staff and insufficient funding given to reform this problem. As with the disabled, there is a negative attitude of the society to the special needs demographic. |
The capital city of Nairobi and the surrounding areas are much more advanced and have many services to offer their residents. As you travel outside the city and suburbs, you see that those living in the village, or upcountry, do not have the same luxuries and opportunities afforded to them. Even though there are more slum areas close by Nairobi, you see that there are a lot of non-governmental organizations reaching those places because of the attention it has gotten in the media. However, there are villages in Kenya that have been virtually unreached who would benefit from home being established in their area to help their children, unite the community, and spread the love of Jesus. 
let me tell you that there is approximately 700 children orphaned daily, meaning that there is a child orphaned almost every 2 minutes. 
Out of Kenya’s population of 30 million almost 10% of the population (3 million) are persons with disabilities. If you have a disability in a country like Kenya, it is likely that you are ostracized for the community and hidden away. Many people think that a person is disabled as a punishment from God and that they are not even human or worth taking care of. They often do not have proper facilities available to them a school, medical care, etc. and the country, as a whole, does not cater to their additional needs. Even though there was a Disabilities Act passed in 2003, little has changed in regard to the overall care and concern for the disabled and they are still kept at the margin of society.