Changes in the new Kenyan Constitution mean CCI’s now have very strict guidelines to follow, hopefully this will mean an end to orphanages/homes/schools set up by unscrupulous people who take advantage of people’s good nature and use them as a means to extract money from people.
Children now arrive at the GLO with only a three year Committal Order from the Courts, in this time we have to either reunite the children with their extended family which is impossible as they would not be in a home if the extended families could take them in, the other option is to have the children adopted and if both these avenues fail only then can we return to the courts in three years time and apply the children to be committed for a further three years. With this in mind we have been working with Little Angels Adoption Agency and have found them very professional. We have also employed a new Social Worker George to assist in the process.
Our first potential adoptive family come from nearby Malindi, Mr and Mrs Kabaina have a home in Kakoneni.They have four kids,3 girls and 1 boy.The 1st born is a girl who is 26 yrs old, she has a university education and works in Nairobi.The 2nd one is a girl age 23 still in university and the 3rd a boy age 19 in secondary school and the last one is a girl age 17 who is in secondary school. They have always wanted another brother and Mr and Mrs Kabaina decided to adopt. Mr Kabaina is a businessman and Mrs Kabaina is a nursery nurse so its an ideal family for one of our children to become a part of.
After the initial approval stages the family visited the GLO and decided to start the process of adopting Jimmy who has been with us since he was a few weeks old. They attended weekly bonding sessions at the GLO where they were observed playing with the children and in particular how Jimmy reacted to the family.
Then Jimmy went along with Auntie Mapenzi for the weekend, both Mercy & Auntie Mapenzi were very happy as the family are very loving and caring and can offer Jimmy a very secure future. As the reports were all very positive the next stage begun with Jimmy going to live with the family for a three month period.
During this time Little Angels attend weekly session to see how Jimmy is fitting in and adapting to living in the family. All appears to be going very well and God Willing the final stage where the court grants the adoption is not too far off. The family’s only problem is Jimmy keep biting people at Church on Sundays but as our volunteer Laura know, Jimmy loves biting, they thought it was because Laura was a mzungu but we don’t think that is the case now!!
It is very difficult for the staff, children, Kevin & myself to let go, Jimmy is part of the GLO family but we cannot offer him normal family life. There are many more needy children in Kenya but as the Little Adoption Agency Social Worker explained that as the children at the GLO are healthy and well cared for they will be adopted before sick and malnourished children so it looks as though Jimmy is the 1st but there will be more.
It is hard to say goodbye to one of our little ones and indeed he will be missed, however it is the best outcome possible for Jimmy. Good Life has given him and many more the best start ever with love and care and the nearest possible to a conventional family life. God bless him and I pray he and his new family have health and happiness. X
What an amazing story re little Jimmy and his future. it must be so hard for the staff at GLO and for the other children to have to say goodbye to one of the children. The process for going down the adoption route sounds like its well organised and thought through, and if it gives a child a chance of a new “family” for the rest of their life, and it also opens another door for a new child to be admitted to the care of the wonderful GLO then these must be a really positive step forward – nothing ever stands still does it!
Good Luck and god bless Jimmy – may all go very well for you in the years ahead – you have certainly had a great start by staying at the GLO.
Bridget xx
Little Jimmy, one of the cutest kids you could ever meet, ill really miss him as im sure the other volunteers (Dan and Monica) will also! But, it really is a great chance for him to have a Kenyan family and, these parents seem like a good couple. Im sure Mercy and Mapenzi (GLO staff) made sure they were good people before they let him go! Vetting the parents will always be very important to ensure the right family is chosen.
This adoption will also ensure there’s another space for another child to get a place at GLO. Once a new-born destitute child gets even six months at GLO, they get so strong, health-wise, development-wise and emotionally also. If the adoption program continues to work successfully, it would be great to see kids staying at GLO for just two years until they get strong and then move on to a good family. Although, there’s always the problem of the kids who are not adopted and them feeling left behind. But, i think the positives of a family structure outweighs the negatives. And, there’s already a great family-like structure at GLO with some great loving staff.
Well done to Mary on getting another complex program (adoption prog) set up at GLO. The orphanage just keeps getting better and better with more and better programs to help the kids develop. God bless your great work Mary, its inspiring!
iam a single woman aged 42 and never gotten married. i have been born again for 18 years and lived my salvation life in strict christian values. i have serverd GOD in many capacities and still do. im a lectuer at one of the National polytechnics where i have worked for the last 15years. I had taken an adoption form in Nov last year 2012 but i couldnt get a younger kin to fill in the commiment of taking responsibility of the child incase i die. i had wished to take in the child by April 2013. Please help.Im so disappointed
Hi Carolyne
We are sorry to hear of your plight but we cannot deal directly with any prospective parents, all come via Little Angels Adoption Agency which is approved by the Department of Children.
One of our children has been adopted by a single lady and she has settled very well but again all relevant checks were done by the adoption agency who then referred her to our orphanage.