Kisumu county residents have been challenged to accept and help reunite reformed children from rehabilitation centres with their families back in the community despite past offences committed.
Speaking at the commissioning of Kisumu rehabilitation school last week Friday, the chairperson of National Council for Children Services Joyce Ngugi said many children at the centre were victims of circumstances.
Kisumu rehabilitation centre was started in March, 2010.
It received its first batch of 63 children from Kisumu and Kericho remand homes.
21 of them have been reintegrated back to the community.
The rehabilitation centre which cost the government more than Sh54 million has a capacity of more than 100 children.
Other than basic formal education done in collaboration with local primary schools, the centre offers other vocational courses such as soap making and bid work.
“Some of these children were forced into committing the crimes they did. Some on the other hand are here because they were orphaned at times they could not fend for themselves,” said the council chair.
Ngugi said the institution however provided the children with basic education, vocational training on life skills as well as experiential learning that helped in making them better people.
“Unlike when they came here regarded as outcasts in their various communities, the children are guided and shaped to become useful members of the society,” said the chair lady, adding that the community should accept and help reunite them with their families back in the villages when they come out.
With her was the director of children services Kellen Karanu who said the institution was tenth in the country and the only one in the greater Nyanza region.
“The national council has issued Sh4 million to support children in the county, of which Sh500,000 will be disbursed this year, ” revealed Karanu.
She also urged the county government to work with the national government in ensuring children get the right frameworks and facilities to allow them develop their skills and talents.
Speaking separately, Kisumu County governor Jack Ranguma challenged residents to learn a lesson from the Lord’s prayer.
“Forgive our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us,” he recited part of the prayer saying it is a simple prayer people make daily but fail to practice in the community.
The governor promised to work with the national government to construct primary and secondary schools in the area to support the rehabilitation centre.
Ranguma said the county government has Sh100 million set aside to support children education in the seven sub-counties in Kisumu each year.