Rotary Club of Syokimau answers Elroi Children Rescue Centre PRAYERS

“Lucy, come see what Rotary has brought for us!!!” said Susan Owuor Njuguna, the founder of Elroi Children’s Rescue Centre. Lucy, one of the caregivers came out of the workshop and her eyes lit up when she saw a hand wash station. She was in awe; words couldn’t describe her joy.

Little did Rotary Club of Syokimau know that this was Lucy’s prayer. One of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is regular hand washing. Yet Elroi Children’s Rescue Centre, which caters for 35 children, did not have a central hand wash station that the children could easily access.

The Club applied for a hand wash station from the District 9212 Emergency Response Committee. The application was successful and received one hand wash station, thanks to the partnership between Rotary and Stanbic Bank Kenya Ltd. The Emergency Response Committee has been in place for over two months and its members include Rotarians from different clubs across the District. The Committee was set up to make interventions to the Community in four main areas that include Hand Wash Stations, Food Hampers, Personal Protective Equipment and Flowers for Hope and masks for front line workers. A detailed report of the inventions, fundraising and partners is on the website www.rotary9212.org.

In addition, the club mobilized additional funds from its members to provide food rations for the children’s home, which depends on well-wishers. The Rescue Center had been introduced by one of the members Rtn. Gad Ndirangu who had visited them several times.

The children at the home were happy to see the Rotarians and had presentations ranging from songs, poems, modeling and showcasing merchandise they stitch for sale such as Ankara facemasks, bags, ponchos and jackets. One of the children said they would say a thanksgiving prayer for what they had received and in an instant, they all went on their knees, leaving all the Rotarians in tears of joy for the children’s act of sincere appreciation.

Founded in 2009, Elroi Children Rescue Centre (The Big Happy Family), caters for orphans, other vulnerable children and even street kids. It also supports and empowers poor widows. Some of the success stories include a foster child who is now pursuing PhD studies, three others have successfully completed college and another 12 have successfully completed their high school education.