Alfajiri is a non-profit organization started by Lenore Boyd, or as all the staff call her, Ann. When she came to Kenya years ago as a volunteer, she realized that there weren’t enough organizations trying to help the street kids of Nairobi. These kids are living on the streets for a variety of reasons; death of parents, abuse in the home, lack of parents’ ability to provide, etc. There are about 60,000 of them. She decided to move to Kenya permanently and start Alfajiri. Alfajiri is a Swahili word that means ‘dawn’. She named it Alfajiri because the children all say that every morning when the sun comes up they are no longer afraid.
The kids living in the streets of Nairobi cannot afford to go to school and many people view them as little more than pests or nuisances. Community members endorse and fund killer cops, occasionally taking matters into their own hands by offering poisoned food to the children. The life that these kids live is unimaginable. And yet at Alfajiri you would hardly be able to tell. Whether we’re playing football (soccer), drawing, or serving a meal, there is the same camaraderie and respect given to each other that you would see interacting with regular schoolchildren. The street kids band together in order to survive; I believe that this is one reason for their ability to spread and experience joy against all odds.
Below you’ll see a couple of my favorite pictures from Alfajiri.
What Does Alfajiri Do?
Alfajiri runs several art workshops a week. This is a chance for street kids to show up, get new clothes, take a shower, and have some fun. We draw together, do karate, dance, and play lots and lots of football. In between activities, staff and volunteers talk to the kids to try and figure out what their story is. Alfajiri’s mission is to meet the children that they serve wherever they’re at. For some children, this means finding a new home and helping to pay school and uniform fees. For others, rehabilitation and therapy are needed in order for healing and a chance to succeed in school in the future. Alfajiri staff organizes and problem-solves for each individual child during the remainder of the week, outside of the art workshops.
During summer break (November-January) Alfajiri also runs a weekly event with the school children that they are sponsoring. This gives them a place to connect with other kids from similar backgrounds and keep their connection to Alfajiri strong. We do most of the same activities that we would normally do during an art workshop; drawing, painting, karate, dance, and football. It’s a great time for the school kids to have fun and maybe even get some holiday homework done! These are some of the most impactful days for me… getting to see all the kids that Alfajiri has saved from a life in the streets. I feel very blessed to have had the chance to work with the staff at Alfajiri and spend time getting to know the kids that they serve.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can check out Alfajiri’s website here.
On a personal note, I have been trying to decide the best way to maximize my impact for Alfajiri. More info coming soon.
Thank you for reading!