Nyumbani Village

Most of the orphans supported by the “Africa Orphan Program” come to live in “Nyumbani Village”, a created Village for orphans on 1,000 acres located 3 ½ hours outside of Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa.  The purpose of the Village is to create an environment where the children are safe, receive nutritious meals, have access to medical care, have an opportunity for spiritual growth, live in a loving “family” environment with other children and obtain a formal education.

As a means of attaining all these goals each of the children live in a house with nine other orphans and a houseparent who is the biological grandparent of one or more of the children in that particular house.  The houses are grouped in units of four and each house has their own small garden for fresh vegetables and fruit and share a system for fresh water.

Polytechnic School in the Village

The Village has its own highly rated schools including primary, secondary and a polytechnic (trade) school (photo at left) that teaches mechanics, carpentry and  tailoring.  The children also have the opportunity to go on to a university if they qualify and if they choose to. Included within the Village’s 1,000 acres are:

• 100 homes built for 10 children and one adult and located on ½ acre each
• Primary School
• Secondary School
• Polytechnic  School
• Medical Clinic
• Staff houses for teachers
• Community Center also used for church services
• Guest house for visitors and volunteers
• 200 acre working organic farm and garden
• 500 acre tree farm

The Village is designed to eventually become both self-sufficient and bio-friendly.   An extensive sustainability program is in development at the Village.

Organic garden produce

The  500 acre tree farm is planted with melia trees with a planned harvest and replanting of 50 acres per year.  The 200 acre organic farm and garden (photo at right) provide food for the Village as well as income by selling some of the harvest outside the Village.  By allocating a half-acre of land to each home and access to water the “families” are encouraged to develop self-reliance.   The Village incorporates local cultural values in its operation and implements these steps to empower the people to further embrace self-reliance, and create a more secure future.

All the resources needed for construction within the Village, except for steel for roofing and glass for windows are manufactured within the Village by villagers from the surrounding communities, all of whom are very poor.  Construction within the Village is also done by these villagers.  This provides not only an income for those villagers but also on-the-job training and development of skills that they can use to enhance their own livelihood and the feeling of achievement that creates a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Volunteers and guests arrive at the Village continuously and help to understand the plight of orphans in third world countries.  Their visits provide them an opportunity to share that understanding and the success of Nyumbani Village with others when they return home which has created international interest in the potential possible those children the world has forgotten.