Koinonia Children Celebrate World Orphans Day
Koinonia Children from Kivuli Centre united with the rest of the world in marking the International World Orphans Day celebrations this year.
The commemoration of this international event held every seventh of May was this year marked at the Dagoretti District Headquarters grounds attracting hundreds of children from schools, orphanages, with the government, and other stakeholders being represented.
This year’s theme of the occassion was “strengthening networking to promote participation of orphans in development process.”
The World Orphans Day was first marked in New York in 2002 and has been commemorated internationally every year with the full participation of governments, development partners and local communities. In Kenya the day has been marked with celebrations every year since 2006.
The day’s activities kicked off with a peaceful march that saw the procession of children with their care-givers alongside present government officials and other invited guests take the streets of Naivasha Road to raise awareness on the day and advocate for the needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).
Various invited groups entertained the public with enthralling performances ranging from musical drama, oral poetry to traditional dances. Koinonia community was represented by the Kivuli acrobatic troupe, which in their breathe-taking moves, stunned the audience.
Also from Koinonia saw the much captivating screening at the event, of the ‘Amka Kenya’ a patriotic song that themed the recently launched album recorded by children from Ndugu Mdogo Rescue Centre about call for peace in the country.
Country’s Director of Children Services Ahmed Hussein who was the guest of honour represented the Dagoretti Area Member of Parliament Beth Mugo, expected to grace the occasion and present the speech by Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development but skipped the event over matters of national duties, rendering her apologies.
Mr. Hussein said the government has recognised and also realises the need to build and strengthen the existing partnership with development partners and communities working with the orphans, to ensure all efforts translate to meaningful impact in response to issues affecting children.
“During this day, we take time to take stock and reflect on where we stand in providing our support to our orphans and vulnerable children,” he said, while reading the speech on behalf of the ministry.
It is estimated that approximately 8% of the adult population in Kenya is HIV-positive, i.e.: 150,000 people; currently, 1.2 million children in Kenya have lost one or both parents to the disease.
In Kenya, where 52 percent of its population which stands at about 40 million people, is composed of those under age of 18, its estimated that there are 2.5 million orphans in the country, most of whom are children living in very poor households headed by either those children themselves or elderly caregivers.
Currently the government has reported to implement a cash transfer programme that will see orphans from extremely poor households benefit from the kitty. The programme is currently on trial in some selected locations in the 47 counties, with 130,000 households targeted.
The Director in his winding remarks appealed to stakeholders to advance their support towards the cause of orphans and vulnerable children, and ensure that they are fully integrated into the society.
“In particular, am appealing to our development partners to increase their support to these programmes.