The reality of losing sponsors and running short on funds is forcing us into a heartbreaking position. We may soon have to make the unimaginable decision to cut back on the support we provide. Saying it like this sounds so clinical, but what it truly means is telling our staff in Kenya that we can no longer offer the daily meal to children who rely on our Mtaani project for the only food they receive each day.
It could also mean reducing staff because we can’t pay wages. In Kenya, where there’s no government assistance and finding secure work is nearly impossible, losing a job means families go without.
I don’t need reminders of why our work matters, but the report I received from our Mtaani team (which I’ll share below) really drives it home. Can you imagine turning away a child from the only meal they get in a day, simply because we can’t afford $1 to cover it? Just $1 can make such a difference—1 coffee pays for 5 meals, and 1 bottle of wine can cover a staff member’s wages for a day.
While these costs seem small, they add up quickly when multiplied by the number of children and staff we support. But if we all come together and set up a weekly or monthly donation—something you might not even notice—it will make an enormous impact on the lives of these children who deserve love and care, just like we all do.
Please help us continue this vital work. Your support means the world.
Exact report from staff (removing identity):
This is *J, ever since he joined us the rafiki mtaani family, he started smiling and he has never stopped since then when he comes to the office every morning he is always excited and full of joy, until today.
He was sad you could tell something was wrong the pain in his heart could not allow him to fake a smile. Bubah noticed it immediately, he tried to talk to him but he left the office after greeting all of us he was in a hurry, to leave, bubah followed him outside but he didn’t say anything to him but he faced down avoiding eye contact.
Bubah came back to the office and asked me to go and support him and make sure av known what had happened to him.
I sat next to him I didn’t say a word to him but the fact that we were there and didn’t leave him alone he broke into tear, at least this was good his heart breathed.
I asked him what happened and he said he accidentally touched someone in town and the man was so mad at him he took a stick and beat him , the man hit his knee telling him that he is a son of a prostitute and his mum went with different men and brought him to the world, the man asked him to go and look for his mum, yet his mum died long time ago, this brought a lot of pain to his heart, he couldn’t do anything but he was very sad .
Am glad that he cried without crying he couldn’t have told me what was the problem, I only felt his pain, but couldn’t do anything.
The man was a stranger to him I wish it was someone known because maybe we could have confronted him but no he was just someone on the street.
This is the untold pain that most of the street family go through, but some never get a chance to speak about their pain.
