In 2011, Team Vista recognised a need for a children’s home in the Kaloleni area. We rented a premisis which gave our Coordinator and staff an office as well as housing some young boys – all of which were identified as being particularly at-risk of homelessness, lack of access to education, and malnutrition. The home provides shelter, access to nutritional food and clean water. All boys attend private school and return to the home for the school holidays. The boys consider themselves brothers. Team Vista has a live-in housekeeper. Staff members Ally and Yahaya, Janerth and Ummi coordinate their schooling, extra-curricular activities, and are a constant and stable presence in their lives.
The boys have established their very own small garden on the property, where they have the responsibility of planting, growing and caring for food crops. During the term when the boys are at boarding school, the home supports three more children from Kaloleni Ward. These three are high achievers academically but need a place to sleep, good nutrition, somewhere for study and extra support. Once the boys return for holidays, the three return to their homes in the community. The positive outcomes from the Children’s Home are one of our boys has just finished Primary school with "B" average results, one competed advanced studies and is now going to University to study Procurement and Logistics Management, another has completed three years study to become an electrician. Team Vista has recently purchased a plot of land near the home where we hope to build a community hall/office and a new Team Vista home at the rear. The Audrey Priest Community Centre will give us more room for tuition classes, adult education and training as well as general use for the community for meetings, weddings, funerals etc.
A Glimpse of Kaloleni Community
Team Vista staff together with Bomoa, Rama and Hamardi