In 1996, Monica Odour took in six young boys who had been living alone on the streets of Busia. They had lost both their parents to AIDS, and had no one to take care of them. That was the start of Mama Orphans Children's Home. Since that time, Monica has come to be known affectionately in the community as "Mama Orphans".
As the need has grown, the orphanage has expanded to house approximately 100 orphaned children (2008). They are brought by the district authorities and the police, when they find these children wandering the streets of Busia homeless and without relatives to care for them. Monica is expected to provide food and shelter for them without any material support from any level of government.
Monica Odour - founder
Mrs. Monica Odour is a long time resident of Busia, Kenya. Monica runs the orphanage with the help of her family and a small number of employees who help her with the cooking, shopping and general duties in the house.
Monica is deeply spiritual woman who derives much strength from her religious beliefs. She believes that faith can help set a solid foundation for an uncertain future in a difficult world.
The Orphanage
Monica is a private citizen and the orphanage is her own residence. At this time she has no other option but to house the children in her own home, and has converted her house to accommodate these children.
The orphanage compound consists of a main house, a dining hall and kitchen (built recently with donor funds) and a small four-room school building. A wall encloses the compound and provides some privacy and hominess. Three bedrooms in the main house and a forth room in an adjoining building serve as dormitories for the children. An outdoor open area in the middle of the compound serves as a playground for the school and a living area for the children.
While she has recently received much needed support for capital projects at the orphanage, Monica's greatest challenge is to find funds to pay for the day to day expenses of the home: food, clothing, and educational costs.
Education
One of the main goals at the orphanage is to provide education to every child living there. This is often very difficult to accomplish. Education is Kenya is not free. Children must pay for school uniforms, textbooks and school supplies, as well as enrolment and exam fees. Children in grades one to seven need about $12 per month to cover all their costs. Children in secondary school, because they are generally boarded, need $50 per month. Covering these costs for 50 children has become unmanageable.
To help ensure that more children were getting an education, Monica began a school. With the help of a volunteer teacher and donated supplies, Monica enrolled 17 children in school. Beginning January 2003, Monica would like to expand the school. She has built 3 new classrooms and is hoping that with donor support she can hire 4 teachers.
The Children
The children in the orphanage range in age from 3 to 18, and, most have lost their parents to AIDS or AIDS related illness. The children come from 'Western' and' Nyanza' provinces in Kenya, and most show with up with nothing, sometimes not even a history. A few of the children are at the orphanage with siblings.
Regardless, a sense of family has been created for all, and while each child has their own set of challenges, they do feel they have a home.
Monica tries to create an environment where the children can find happiness, through dancing, singing, and play. These moments are a wonderful respite from their somber situation.
For more photographs from the orphanage, check out our photo gallery.
