New Year, New Home, and Endless Gratitude from Kiota Kids
Dear Friends of Kiota Kids Children’s Home,
Happy New Year! I thought I would start a monthly newsletter to try to be better about sharing stories and happenings with the children and Rescue Centre:)We are excited to share some incredible updates on the progress at the Centre, made possible by everyone's generous support. Since my return visit in September and October, we’ve made significant strides, and there is so much to celebrate! It has been a whole year since I met the children on the streets, and it has been so beautiful to witness how much they have grown and healed and truly transformed.
New Facility & Settling In
We’ve moved to a 10-acre property with a 10-room facility in Mutuati, Meru County, Kenya! This property was generously gifted to us by local authorities who recognized the positive impact the Centre has had on both the children and the community as a whole. The kids and staff have been adjusting to the new environment, and it has truly begun to feel like home. Thanks to your support, we’ve been able to make several key renovations, including new windows, toilets, electrical installations, and a fully equipped kitchen. The children and staff are incredibly happy and excited as they begin this new chapter of the 2025 school year!
Our Progress So Far Includes…
35 children enrolled in Primary School
4 students enrolled in Secondary Boarding School
15 teens enrolled in Vocational Training Boarding School, studying various fields
Ongoing feeding program
School shoes and supplies purchased for all Primary and Secondary students
School uniforms fitted, purchased, and sewn by a local non-profit empowering young single mothers
Birth certificates produced for all the children, naming the Centre as their legal guardian
6 of our eldest children received official ID cards, confirming that the Centre is their legal guardian, which provides them with greater rights and further educational and employment opportunities
8 acres of crops of beans and corn planted. They are thriving and should be ready for harvest in the first quarter of the year- moving us closer to our goal of dietary self sufficiency on the farm
The kids enjoyed a joyful Christmas and New Year, with a festive feast, a decorated tree, and gifts
We’ve planted a soccer field, which the children absolutely love, and we’ve invited local teams to come and play games and tournaments
The kids built their own table tennis table from scrap wood after being gifted paddles and balls - they are having so much fun with it
Our partnership with the Bates Foundation has begun, with the children undergoing martial arts training to help build their mental, physical, and emotional resilience
We’re working on finally getting a website up and running! Hopefully soon!
What We Are Still Working Towards:
While we’ve made great progress, there are still a few things on our to-do list that we hope to complete in the coming months:
Completing the electricity installation for the other half of the facility
Securing bed frames for all the mattresses (currently, they’re on the floor)
Installing flooring for the outdoor kitchen
Installing running water in the kitchen
Building a second block of latrine toilets
Purchasing 3 new cooking burners to reduce wood-burning consumption by 60%
We are so grateful for your ongoing support, which makes all of this possible. Your commitment is truly transforming lives, and we can’t wait to continue sharing our progress with you. The beaming smiles on each child’s face are something pictures and words can never quite capture.
We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our support for all our children—and hopefully many more in the future. We deeply appreciate your continued generosity and partnership. Feel free to always reach out with any questions or ideas as well! Thank you for your invaluable contributions to our mission of empowering these children and creating a brighter future for them all.
With big hugs & many thanks from the Kiota Family,
Lindsey and the Kids
