Providing Care and Shelter

August 24, 2010 No Comments

What is the CSCM Rescue Center?

When children have no where else to turn, they are given shelter and care at the CSCM Rescue Center. The Rescue Center acts as a foster home, working to reunite children with their families and communities.

How does the Rescue Center strengthen families?

90% of orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa are cared for by members of their extended family. Compassionate Social Care Ministries believes that strengthening families is key to any orphan care strategy. If a person were to visit the CSCM Rescue Center and refer to it as a “Rescue Center,” not a single child who lives in the house would know to what they were referring. If a person drove past the CSCM Rescue Center, they would notice that it looks just like the other homes around it. The Rescue Center strengthens families because it gives children an opportunity to be apart of a family. Our Rescue Center started off as a home. When children were abused or abandoned, Rev. Dennis and Deaconess Lorna Meeker, (the CSCM Directors in Kenya) had a home that could provide them care and shelter. This same home has grown to support more and more children in need. Some are successfully reunited with extended family members, others are left with no one to care for them. Even those in the most desperate situations have found the right place; a new family to call their own.

What kind of care is provided at the Rescue Center?

Our mission statement says we strive to deliver “comprehensive care.” From a torn uniform at school, to daily medical treatment; from baptism and confirmation, to getting a tutor for school work; CSCM strives to take care of our children the best that resources allow.

Is the Rescue Center an Orphanage?

No. In fact, some children in our Rescue Center were rescued from orphanages. When CSCM talks about our Rescue Center, many people automatically assume  we are referring to an orphanage. This train of thought is understandable, as thousands of faith based charities are responding to the increasing number of orphans in Africa by building orphanages, often times calling them “Rescue Centers.”

When justifying orphanages, the talking points are very similar. “First, if the parents die, the extended family should take the child in. Second, the community should take them in. But, if the child falls through these two defenses, they are taken to the orphanage as the last resort.” Though it makes sense in theory, the outcome is drastically different.

Some research has demonstrated that as soon as orphanages open, they are immediately full. Some of these children come from the homes of their grandparents, aunts, other extended family members, and friends. Many are either attracted by the high standard of living offered by the orphanage, or were pushed by poverty-stricken relatives. It could be argued that orphanages are ripping a hole through the extended family and community safety net; the very thing that should be strengthened.  Instead of focusing on the “last resort,” the obvious question should be, “What is being done to reinforce the first two defenses?” We believe that strengthening extended families and communities is an effective strategy to provide care for the thousands of children left without parents.

Household surveys show that families who care for the vast majority of orphans across Africa receive very little help, just as hundreds of orphanages are being built by Western charities and faith-based groups. Reports by UNICEF indicate that poverty, not parental death, is the leading cause of orphanage admittance. A report from Save the Children claims, “At least four out of five children in orphanages around the world have a living parent.”  Ironically, orphanages are built for children who supposedly have no caregivers, are drawing those children away from their caregivers, and unintentionally discouraging other caregivers from taking in children. CSCM works to partner, not impose. We believe that though it may be more difficult, working with extended families is the correct, research-based approach. We believe that our projects are truly community based. The Kenyan leadership of our organization ensures that our tactics are culturally appropriate and effective.

How many children do you care for at the Rescue Center? What are the age ranges?

Because our goal is to re-unite children with extended family members, many children often leave the Rescue Center to return home. On average, there are 25 children living in our home.

How is the Rescue Center funded?

Part of the funding for our Rescue Center comes from a generous church partner in the United States. This funding greatly assists us in the operation of the home, however every month we need to fundraise additional funds to provide adequate care. We are currently struggling with medical bills for the children and the very significant monthly food bill. We have initiated a Rescue Center Partnership Program. We are looking for  individuals and churches to partner with us and provide a monthly donation for our Rescue Center.  This would ensure that we are able to meet the needs of the current children in the home, and any new emergency situations that arise. These generous individuals would have a tremendous impact on the lives of children in desperate need. Please contact info@cscmkenya.org if you would like more information on becoming a partner with our Rescue Center.

What are your plans for the future?

Our current home is rented. There are plans to build a Rescue Center outside of town in the coming years to offer a more stable location and the prospect of decreasing costs and generating income through farming activities. However, at the present time, our priority is to care for the children to the best of our ability with the limited resources we have available.

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