Building strong children

Turning Early Years Scars into Stars. This hopeful motto is displayed on the wall at Little Rock, an Inclusive Early Child Development Centre. Midwest Food Bank East Africa partners with Little Rock, located in Kibera the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya. However, the founder of Little Rock, Lilly Oyare, refers to the neighborhood of Kibera as an "informal community." This kind of love and dignity is displayed to every student at Little Rock.

The Development Centre serves orphans, those infected & affected by HIV/Aids, poor, and special needs children. There are 1,021 children served through Little Rock, including 140 children with special needs. This is exceptional growth for an organization that started in 2003 with 12 children.

The students served are embraced by the Little Rock staff who believe that all children, regardless of their social and economic background, are capable of dreaming and achieving great things in life, if properly nurtured. The students are served through a school program with the educational resources of a library, computer lab and music room. Students are daily offered therapeutic services based on their physical and emotional needs.

Further, they receive nourishment through nutritious meals. Midwest Food Bank partners with Little Rock by providing Tender Mercies and fresh produce. The Tender Mercies meals are prepared and offered to children twice weekly as part of their lunch menu. Little Rock values a balanced lunch-time meal, knowing it is the only meal of the day some of the students receive.

Another quote on Little Rock's wall: "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Midwest Food Bank is blessed to have partners like Little Rock. We are thankful to help them serve their children, their precious Stars. To learn more about the work of Little Rock, visit http://littlerockkenya.org/newsite/