Little Wachu and her mentally challenged mother joined our program in January 2008 after living on the streets for 2 years. Mama Wachu’s desperate mother and family never gave up hope of finding them. In Nov/09 their prayers were answered and little Wachu now has a loving and caring grandmother who comes to visit her at our compound at least once a month and brings us fresh produce from her “shamba” (farm).

Little Wachu was close to death when she reached us. She suffered from extreme malnutrition, worm infestation and epilepsy seizures. The mother could not give us much detail or information. She could not even remember the birth date of the child. Her size and mental state led us to assume she was around 3 years of age. It turned out, she was nearly 7!

Proper medical care and good nutrition has resulted in a total turnaround for this child making her a bundle of energy and activity. But her patterns and behavior alerted us to the possibility that she was mentally challenged like her mother. A professional assessment confirmed this.

As the housemother I was initially opposed to the idea of sending her to a boarding school for the mentally challenged. I tried to find a nearby special school that would address her needs, but luck was not on my side and boarding school became the only option. The dreaded leaving day arrived and the Grandmother and I took her there. She took to the place like duck to the water. Seeing her in her new crisp uniform looking smart and smiling broadly was a blessing and I knew this was the right choice. I left with a happy heart!

There are not that many schools for special need kids in Kenya. These schools are very expensive and placement is tight. But luck was on our side and Wachu was accepted. Here her wild energy is channeled and she is taught discipline and has to adherence to basic rules.

I could hardly wait for visiting day! What a wonderful surprise awaited me, the smiley and contented face of Wachu! She recently was allowed to join the classroom and is eagerly learning to formulate her first words. We all are looking forward to her return for the holiday month of August and to hear her speak rather than shriek!