By Halcyon Martin
Comfort International has been transforming lives for more than 20 years. Many of these are the lives of street children and vulnerable young mums.
We have decided that to be able to do this more effectively we would like to build a purpose built centre which will allow these young people grow and mature in a healthy caring environment; receiving food clothing, education, health care and a sense of family. Land has been purchased and preparations are underway to create the Comfort Transformation Centre giving space for children, young people and vulnerable young mums & babies to rebuild their lives for a better future.
Why?
Ex-Street Kids: Many children that we find living on the streets have left their homes for a number of reasons including extreme poverty and hunger, family bereavement or violence at home. When they come from caring homes and the main issue is poverty and hunger then personal sponsorship opens the door for them to return to their family. Where parents have died, there is violence at home or the children have become addicted to drugs or perhaps involved in gangs then it makes sense for them to be re-sensitised in a caring and safe environment away from the negative in influences. One of the roles of the Comfort Transformation Centre will be to provide the safe environment for this to happen, usually for up to a year.
Vulnerable Mums and Babies: The Comfort Babies project supports vulnerable mums and their babies. The Comfort Transformation Centre project will include a separate home for the most vulnerable mums and babies on the Comfort Babies project, a place where they can feel safe and supported as they work towards self-sufficiency.
Moses Story
“Hi, my name is Moses. My mum died when I was a baby and my childhood was not good. I ran away from home when I was 7 and lived on the streets for 4 years. Comfort International found me and I joined the Street Kids Rescue Project where I now live happily, have enough to eat and work hard at school. My life has changed so much and I am looking forward to the future.”
Comfort Transformation Centre in a nutshell:
A purpose built centre to allow children and young mums to rebuild their lives for a better future.
Accommodation for up to 80 ex-street children plus ‘house mamas’.
A home for particularly vulnerable mums and their babies.
Facilities for living, learning, meeting and play. A safe place for restoring significance.
Orphaned ex-street kids welcomed into family units.
Facilities to provide food for very poor non-residents.