Based in Uplands, about 40km North of Nairobi on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, New Hope Childrens Centre is home to over 150 orphaned or abandoned girls and boys. Hand in Hand began supporting new Hope in 2000.
Founded in 2000 by Anne Chege, the centre began life in a four-bedroom detached house donated by a local Christian for 'Gods work'. An initial intake of 20 girls from the local community quickly grew to over 40 and the numbers have continued to rise ever since.
Following the visit of a Hand in Hand Mission Team in 2000 the charity began to support New Hope on a regular basis and by early 2005 had raised funds to sink a borehole to provide safe drinking water for the children.
With heavy demand for space in the home the projected relocated to a 3 acre plot nearby, where a purpose built, 3 story dormitory was finally completed in 2007 with a capacity of around 200 children.
By Early 2005 Hand in Hand had raised funds for the construction of a kitchen block and the sinking of a borehole to provide safe drinking water for the children. Since then the site has been connected with electricity and an electric pump has been installed to provide water for the whole site.
New Hope continues to develop income generating schemes to reduce their dependence on overseas support. It has a large shamba in which they grow a majority of their own vegetables and they also rear milking cows and chickens to provide nutrition for the children.
Each child has a place in a local school and is encouraged to complete a secondary education and to go onto further education with some enrolling at local universities. Those who do not make the grade are supported into vocational training opportunities and nearby vocational training centres.
A recent addition has been the employment of a nurse and the opening of a small clinic on site meaning the children can receive immediate health care and trauma counselling.
