How do the Children get to us?

Most cases are being brought to our attention by the authorities.

Most children are orphans, living with relatives that can barely feed their own children or with grandmothers that depend on charity themselves.

Some of our children come from troubled families where they are mistreated.

As soon as a case is being brought to our attention, a social worker visits and gets a first hand impression.
If immediate action is needed, the child is accepted with the childrens home.

First thing that is being taken care of is the health situation of the child. Most children come in malnourished and have to be fed using a medical program.

A big family

Most of the children are heavily traumatized.

Caritas Mariana Childrens Home offers a charitable familiar atmosphere, the children are cordially received and cared for well by social workers and nuns.

Here the children - especially street children - experience the happy life of a child for the first time, running around with new buddies.

The value of work

We don't spoil our children.

The chilren are sent to school, they stay in the childrens home at least until they finish their education.

They learn early in life how to do their own laundry and they do chores, like helping to prepare the meals.

The children are brought up to become self reliant and responsible.

They learn early that everything in life comes with hard work - especially in the third world, where access to education and work is difficult for the poor.

Develop talents

In the third world the fight for work is hard.

To give our children the best chances possible, we put a lot of emphasis on finding and developing talents early.

We have a small singing and dancing group, a piano and a music teacher to develop musical talents.

Our visitors like to do sports with the children - just to find out that there is a reason Kenyans dominate long distance events worldwide.

We own a Technikbox, donated by the government of Upper Austria, that helps identify and develop technical and mathematical talents.

Nobleness of heart

Our children should not only successfully compete at the job market but also become valuable members of society.

Every morning and evening they gather in our small chapel for prayer, and in the weekly service and sunday school they learn the principles that are more valuable than everything we can offer our children.

By learning and comprehending christlike principles it is possible that our children get along well and treat each other with respect in spite of the lack of personnell.

Many of the young people that can make a living on their own and are being released from assistance, stay in amicable contact with the childrens home and visit frequently.

Volunteers

Our visitors from Europe and young people that spend a volunteer service for several months are most valuable.

At the moment we have 60 children - we can not hug each one every day.
The visitors and volunteers give the children attention and care, play with them, but also teach them skills.

No one has to be a doctor to do humanitarian service at Caritas Mariana Childrens Home. A will to serve and a heart for the children are completely sufficient.

Kenyian children tend to be shy but our children are used to have visitors around, whom they receive with great anticipation and heartiness.