ABOUT KICKSTART KIDS INTERNATIONAL

Kickstart Kids International is a fully accredited, non-goverment, not-for-profit organisation working with local communities to kickstart the lives of vulnerable children.

 

 

 

Kickstart Kids International has worked on three major projects in Kenya, each with a focus on development. In everything that we do, our primary goal is empowerment – to provide support to local communities that will help them to help themselves. Accordingly, Kickstart works in partnership with Nanga Organisation, a local Kenyan non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) which operates Olturoto Children’s Village (OCV). Kickstart provides Nanga with both financial and non-financial assistance, including fundraising, project management, technical expertise and governance support.

How the Programme Works

Olturoto Children’s Village (OCV) (an initiative of Kickstart Kids International) was registered as a Charitable Children’s Institution (“CCI”) in Isinya, Kajiado County. OCV was opened on 26^th June 2014 as a transition centre for abused, abandoned and neglected children. The children would be referred by local administration e.g. chiefs, the Government of Kenya’s Sub-county Children’s Office or other CCI’s and would often stay in OCV for a maximum of up to three years, before being reunified with their families.

This was achieved through Rescue, Empowerment and Reintegration (RER) methodology. At the heart of our work was the belief that all children belong in a family and as such we avoided long term stay beyond a reasonable period that would allow us to resolve the issue/s that caused the children to be separated from their families. All empowerment efforts were aimed at ensuring that we would eventually be placed/reintegrated back into a safe, stable and sustainable home environment.

Transition to Family-Based Care

In 2017, OCV became aware of the emerging care reform agenda in Kenya and decided to transition to a model of family and community-based care by the end of 2019.  OCV realised it could build off the work of its existing reintegration programme. Using child participation techniques, and a tag line that “home is best”, OCV helped the children understand and own the process of reintegration.  Each child had an individual care plan which was followed closely and updated as necessary. 

Reintegration Outcomes

Of the 34 children and young adults in the OCV program, 11 were reintegrated with their biological parents, 7 were placed in kinship care, 5 were referred to other CCIs for long-term care, and 11 young adults transitioned into independent living. Since 2020 to date, OCV has continued to support a total of 21 children at the family level.

Support for Young Adult Care Leavers

11 care-leavers continue to be supported to pursue their academic goals through payment of school fees and with mentoring, counselling and life skills through various forums on a regular basis.

Strategic plan 2024-2028

OCV has operated through three previous strategic planning cycles as follows: -

Strategy cycle 1 (2009-14):       The first cycle from inception of the organisation supported direct institutional-based orphan care in Kiambu County.

Strategy cycle 2 (2014-19):       The second cycle covered the establishment of OCV and its operational years as a transitional home for orphaned and vulnerable children in Kajiado County.

Strategy cycle 3 (2019-23/24):  The third cycle, post operations of OCV as a transitional home for orphaned and vulnerable children has focused family-based care for reintegrated children and supported independent living for our Care leavers.

While the third strategic planning cycle achieved the level of care and attention that the beneficiaries required, OCV currently has facilities that are not being fully utilised (as a result of the successful reintegration of children) that can be re-deployed to better serve orphaned, vulnerable children and families in the Olturoto area of Kajiado County. 

We are currently in the early stages of implementing a new strategic plan for the period 2024-2028. This plan is a result of our learning through technical training and community engagement with assistance from Hope and Homes for Children – an international charity that works to stop the institutionalization of children.

 

Long term strategic direction and four pillars of delivery

OCV is now focused on a new strategic direction which is towards preventative support for at-risk children and their caregivers. OCV will achieve this through four pillars of delivery:

• Proactive Community Interventions
• Foundational Family Support
• Strategic Empowerment
• Mutual Partnerships

 

Thank you for your giving and support. 

 

CONTACT US

For more information or additional clarification, please contact us via: -

 

Email: info@kickstartkidsinternational.com

Tel No. +254 715 390 321 (WhatsApp)

Website: www.kickstartkidsinternational.com