From 1 October 2015 to 31 May 2017 we carried out a project in Kenya that is financially supported from SlovakAid resources. The project helped street children gain quality education and practical skills, and thereby supported their gradual social and economic integration. None of this would have been possible without an experienced local partner. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Salesian centre Bosco Boys for street children, which has been helping poor youth for 25 years. In the initial phase, the centre works on the social rehabilitation of the children; subsequently, it focuses on integrating them into the basic-education process. Later, it helps them acquire practical skills in the areas of carpentry, welding, tailoring and agricultural production, and arranges secondary-school studies for them.

The project raised the qualifications of the centre’s teachers for working with at-risk youth through certified courses in counselling skills and child therapy. They are now able to provide adequate support to the children at Bosco Boys. In the area of basic education, three upper grades were equipped with modern technologies that combine spoken word and multimedia in teaching. Using modern technologies will make the teaching process easier, faster and more effective. Since many Bosco Boys graduates have difficulty finding suitable employment, the project provided them with training thanks to which they are able to prepare a good CV, identify and approach potential employers, and prepare for an interview; graduates were also briefed on the rights and duties of employees and on work ethic. For those interested in starting their own business, a business course was provided.

The Bosco Boys centre is largely dependent on external sources of funding, which threatens its sustainability. The centre’s greatest potential for generating income lies in its carpentry and welding workshops, where the centre’s students acquire practical skills. Based on the high demand in the area around the workshop, they tested the production of made-to-order furniture, with positive results. The project tapped into the centre’s potential in this area and increased revenues from furniture production by equipping the carpentry and welding workshops with the necessary machines and tools that the centre had been lacking. The workshop staff were also trained to use them. For the students, the acquisition of practical skills thus took on a new dimension — they came into contact with clients, with receiving and processing orders, which is valuable experience for their future employment. The workshops also became a potential employer for talented students.

Project results

• 16 centre staff trained in financial planning and fundraising
• 1 business plan drawn up for the centre
• 680 pieces of furniture sold
• EUR 40,000 earned from furniture sales
• 2 counselling-skills courses delivered for teachers
• 18 teachers trained in counselling skills
• 2 therapy rooms set up
• 65 children per week using counselling
• 3 upper grades equipped with modern technologies
• 20 teachers trained to work with modern equipment
• 110 centre graduates trained for a successful job search
• 4 educational seminars for children and youth
• 1 seminar for parents of at-risk youth
• 3 camps