In the summer three girls moved from our home in Kisumu, Amani Cottage to Carmel House in Nakuru, over 100 miles southeast of Kisumu.
Why were they moved there? Well for those children who aren’t adopted, New Life does their best to place them in a suitable home environment to help them thrive into young adults.
What happens to those children who aren’t adopted?
Sometimes the answer is complicated: some children are fostered by local families, some are adopted later on, and some are not, because the transition would be too stressful. New Life raises these children to give them the best possible chances for their future and prepare them for a fulfilling adult life. They ensure these children receive an education suitable to their individual needs, which is supported through our sponsorship programmes.
Carmel House and Bethel House
These homes were set up to provide a suitable home for the older teenage children who haven’t been adopted. It was decided that this would be the best home for the three girls, aged 10 – 14 who were living in Kisumu.
Amani Cottage in Kisumu caters for children with complex disabilities, most of whom will need care for the rest of their lives. These girls, who were rescued by New Life as babies, were placed at Amani Cottage as they all had obvious physical disabilities. Two have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy while the third one has speech impairment and mild autism. They have made great strides in overcoming the challenges these conditions present. Therefore, after much deliberation and prayer it was felt that Amani Cottage was no longer the right home for them, and Carmel House could provide a better future with more opportunities for them to develop to their full potential.
A period of transition
To help the girls settle in, they initially went for a holiday at our Carmel House in Nakuru. It became clear that the girls’ needs would be better met within the Carmel New Life “family”. So with some excitement alongside emotional farewells, they moved to Nakuru in July 2021.
The girls at Carmel House, many of whom attend boarding school, are quite active in their involvement at the home, while also engaging in local activities. The girls who have moved from Amani Cottage will have opportunities to take part therefore expanding their experiences in life. Each week the girls have one-hour life skills sessions discussing topics such as respect, the value of education, spiritual development, basic etiquette, etc.
Though the definition of family may look very different for our older children than that defined by culture, the girls are in a stable, loving environment where they are growing into young adults who love, laugh, and enjoy giving back. Please join with us in prayer for these girls that they transition well in every way. That as they go into their teenage years, they will benefit from being with their fellow sisters and develop positive relationships with one another.
How are they doing
The girls are settling well into their new lives at Carmel House and there are plans for one of their fellow sisters, also aged 10 to come and join them at the end of the school term, just in time for Christmas.
How can help support these girls
Adjustments and adaptations will need to be made to the home to support the girls ongoing physical needs as well as equipment such as walking aids will need to be sourced. If you feel you can contribute towards the additional costs that the home will be faced with then please do contact us by emailing admin@newlifehometrust.org.uk or make a donation via the website. You could also choose to get involved in the sponsor our children programme which helps to cover the costs of education and living expenses.