EFFECTIVENESS OF MUKURU SLUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (MSDP) HALFWAY HOUSE REHABILITATION PROGRAM ON THE REHABILITATION OF STREET CHILDREN IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The phenomenon of street children is one which Kenya has experienced in rising increment from the post-colonial period to date. In order to combat this development challenge, the Government of Kenya initiated the establishment of rehabilitation centers to improve the situation of street children youth and families. Despite these efforts the government proved unable to sustain the efforts largely based on meager resource allocation and rehabilitation centers reported high dropout rates. In a bid to support government efforts, NGOs established themselves in the country to address the problem of street children through the rehabilitative approach with a view to family reintegration after equipping them with education skills and different types of training to transform them into contributing members of society and as capable individuals with the ability of determining their own lives and pursuing their own destinies. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of NGOs in the rehabilitation of street children within Nairobi City County, Kenya. The research was based on a case study of the Mukuru Slum Development Project (MSDP) Halfway House Rehabilitation Program which employs the Halfway House model of rehabilitation in transforming the lives of street boys between the age of 5 and 17 years. The study was guided by New Social Studies of Childhood theory, Empowerment theory, the Transtheoretical Model of Change and the Halfway House Rehabilitation Model. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered through questionnaire, focus group discussions, interviews, document analysis supplemented by observation to determine the role of the MSDP Halfway House Rehabilitation Program on the behavior change, empowerment and capacity building and reintegration of beneficiaries as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the rehabilitation strategies used. Data was analyzed both qualitatively (using descriptive methods) and quantitatively (Using statistical techniques aided by Microsoft excel Programme). Results were thematically presented. The study determined that strategies used in rehabilitating street children within the halfway house model include transformative strategies which target behavior change, empowerment strategies which target independence, knowledge, awareness and identity and reintegration strategies which equip both beneficiaries and parents or guardians with the skills and materials needed to sustain positive rehabilitation outcomes after exiting the program. The study also determined that the organization is effective in transforming behavior and empowering beneficiaries particularly through its tutorial program and counseling sessions. The major challenges faced by the organization include lack of sufficient resources which limit the effectiveness of sustainable reintegration, customized life skills curriculum which also affects the beneficiaries’ confidence in implementing the skills outside the program. It was determined that the organization would greatly benefit from intensive resource mobilization strategies and implementing a brother to brother mentorship program as a means of demonstrating sustainable change to present candidates, creating a peer to peer empowerment and capacity building network as well as a sustainable system of monitoring and evaluation