L’8 dicembre 2012 più di duecento giovani che hanno avuto qualche esperienza di vita di strada e sono stati riscattati da istituzioni di beneficenza a Nairobi, si sono riuniti per il loro primo Forum.
Chiamato Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base (swahili per Forum della Gioventù della Base, base é come i gruppi di bambini di strada designano il loro abituale punto di incontro) il forum si é tenuto alla Shalom House e ha riunito i beneficiari di oltre dieci istituzioni.
Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base è stata un’iniziativa di KOBWA (Koinonia Old Beneficiaries Welfare Association) ed ha visto la partecipazione di altre organizzazioni molto importanti come KESCA, Consolation Africa, Thomas Bernardo’s Home, Rescue Dada e altre. E ‘stato il culmine di un processo iniziato nel mese di agosto 2012.
I beneficiari hanno avuto l’opportunità di condividere le loro esperienze di vita e la possibilità di proporre la via da seguire su come migliorare il processo di riabilitazione e reinserimento sociale .
Il documento finale é pubblicato nel blog in inglese.
On December 8 2012 more than two hundred young persons who had some experience of street life and were rescued from it by Charitable Children Institutions (CCIs) in Nairobi, gathered for their first ever conference.
Dubbed Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base (Swahili for Forum of Youth of the Base, base being how street children call the place where they gather) the forum held was at Shalom House and brought together beneficiaries from over ten CCIs.
Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base was an initiative of Koinonia Old Beneficiaries Welfare Association (KOBWA) attended by other very important organizations like KESCA, Consolation Africa, Thomas Bernardo’s Home, Rescue Dada and others. It was the culmination of a process that started in August 2012 .
The former beneficiaries had an opportunity to share their life experiences and a chance to propose the way forward on how to improve the process of rescue and reintegration.
Here is the final document.
Declaration of the Beneficiaries of Charitable Children’s Institutions
At the First Kongamano La Vijana Kwa Base Conference
Shalom House, Nairobi, 8th December, 2012
We, the beneficiaries of Charitable Children’s Institutions (CCIs), have come together to establish a movement for the promotion of best practices in the CCIs. We assert our commitment to the use of dialogue, genuineness and compassion between us and the Caregivers as a way to uphold Human Dignity, Peace, Love, Justice and Harmony in the CCIs.
Together we declare that:
We shall strive to promote the inalienable rights of the children and reject all injustices against our innocent and vulnerable brothers and sisters within the CCIs, especially when this is done in the name of the law and of organizational policies. We therefore call for a stronger network and collaboration between the Government Institutions and the CCIs.
We shall work towards mutual understanding and respect among ourselves, the society at large and the Caregivers within the CCIs through advocacy, Education, Conferences, Symposia and free Social Integration.
The CCIs form an integral part of our growth and development. We therefore state categorically that the Caregivers should preserve all the records and documentation about the lives of the children under their care, and keep them confidential, but avail them later to the beneficiaries when they become of age.
In accordance with the bill of rights of the republic of Kenya, we affirm the right of each child to worship and to freely access institutions of faith without the fear of admonition or expulsion from the CCIs.
Our unique identities and diverse cultural values form the basis of our existence. We thus urge the Caregivers to be passionate in dealing with children and their families to inculcate values in the children without patronage and manipulation. This will assist in achieving a sustainable reintegration of the beneficiaries of the CCIs back to the society through empowerment and close follow-up.
We offer our heartfelt prayers and give thanks to the Almighty God for bringing us together to work for the promotion of children’s Rights for all the vulnerable children living within and outside the CCIs.
