Watoto in swahili means children. Since the beginning in 2005, Watoto Kenya Onlus takes care of children living family challenges and vulnerable situation in disadvantage and rural areas of Langobaya District in Malindi Sub County, Kenya.
Since 2005 Watoto Kenya Onlus started a children home in Makobeni, which in 2017 has been transformed into an Alternative Family Care project, based on kinship.
Watoto Kenya Onlus has slowly exited the children residing in the institution and transformed the children home into a boarding facility for the nearby school.
The decision has been shared and endorsed by all the local stakeholders following the guidelines of the government of Kenya on child protection.
The model initiated by Watoto Kenya Onlus supports the children within their biological families and It is coherent with the principles of UNICEF: Every child survives and thrives, Every child learns, Every child is protected from violence and exploitation, Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, Every child has a fair chance in life.
Watoto Kenya capitalized the experienced gained in the previous 12 years trough the OVC programme – Orphans and Vulnerable Children – which was taking care of kids in their families from the adolescence when they had to be exited from the children home.
Watoto Kenya Onlus model helps in realizing one of the most important goals felt in western countries: Assist communities to develop in their countries of origin.
More than this, the Social Return of Investment and the evaluation of both programme have highlighted that Alternative Family Care has a bigger impact and better outcomes than a children institution. The constant monitoring of the new strategy shows that the welfare of beneficiaries has improved.
