|
|
|
|
|
|
Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| April 29-30, 2004 |
Mombasa, Kenya – Study Tour and Exchange to the Wema Centre |
|
| |
 |
| An origami welcome to the Wema Centre home for street girls |
The Wema Centre's mission is to "transform girls living in the streets into fulfilled and responsible young adults." Providing access to education, health services, skills and basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, love and care to street children, the rehabilitation centre has grown from a three-bedroom house to a five-acre refuge in only 10 years. Programme Director, Patricia Oburu, and nearly 100 former street girls, welcomed Peace Boat participants to their home on the outskirts of Mombasa for a one-day cultural exchange. |
|
|
 |
| Fresh milk free every day helps sustain both growing bones |
The Wema Centre relies on donations from generous supporters as well as works to sustain itself through the sale of handcrafted products such as soap, patterned scarves and wood carvings. While learning valuable job skills that will enable the girls to support themselves as adults, they are also contributing to their "family" by earning an income. To cut the cost of supplying food for the 100 Wema residents, chickens, cows and vegetable patches are tended by volunteer staff, producing eggs, milk and vegetables for the energetic residents. |
| |
 |
| The Kenyan "Jambo" song and dance as performed by Peace Boat participants |
The girls led Peace Boat participants around the refuge, visiting the library, health clinic and classrooms, where free schooling is offered to the members of the community as well as the Wema Centre residents. Many of the girls have been orphaned by parents dying from AIDS. Outreach projects include awareness-raising about HIV/AIDS through theatre, as well as street children remedial education and peer counselling groups for victims of abuse. |
| |
 |
| Goodbye waves from the well cared for girls of the Wema Centre |
Books, toys, pens and some musical instruments, collected by the United People's Alliance (UPA), one of Peace Boat's ongoing project teams which collects and donates support goods, were presented to Patricia Oburu and the children of the centre. Thanking the hosts for their hospitality, Peace Boat participants then performed a traditional Japanese song for children, and an original and well received version of the popular Kenyan "Jambo" dance. To follow the participants, and also bid farewell to the Peace Boat visit, the girls sang a song composed about the reality of living on the street, describing the journey from destitution to the safety and love and care of the Wema Centre. |
| |
|
|
|
