Patmoz
By Njeri Irungu.
Kwale County
FIDA-Kenya’s secretariat, board, and part of its membership visited the African Child Village in Diani, Kwale County, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility activities. During the visit, they donated Ksh 125,000 in cash and essential items to support the young mothers and children living at the centre.
The African Child Village currently hosts 22 young mothers — though it has the capacity for 30 — each living in her own hut within a shared compound designed to resemble a traditional Mijikenda village. The air in the village is filled with laughter and play, the chatter of toddlers under four years old, and the determined spirit of young mothers working towards a brighter future.
Every young mother here attends classes tailored to equip them with valuable life and professional skills, including computer training, hairdressing, tailoring, beauty therapy, and fashion design. Beyond vocational training, they take part in mandatory socialization sessions, preparing them for life after the village. Upon reaching 18 years, they graduate from the programme — though some stay until 19 or 20 if they are still completing their studies.
The journey of each girl to the African Child Village is one marked by resilience. They have arrived through varied and often heartbreaking circumstances — incest, defilement, rape, illness, poverty, hunger, abandonment, or unsafe underage relationships. In many cases, the police bring them in, and some still have active court cases. Before admission, a thorough assessment is carried out to ensure that returning to their previous environment would not endanger their safety or wellbeing.
Despite their pasts, the young mothers and their children here thrive. All look healthy, clean, and well-cared for. The village boasts a baby care centre and a medical unit, ensuring that even special needs — such as one child currently undergoing autism therapy three times a week — are met with compassion and professionalism.
For FIDA-Kenya, the visit was more than a CSR activity; it was a reaffirmation of their mission to champion human rights, particularly for women and children. For the girls of African Child Village, it was a reminder that they are seen, valued, and supported — and that their future, though shaped by hardship, can be rewritten with hope, dignity, and opportunity.
