*Matua is 10 yrs old. He should be in school, playing football with his friends, and running home in the evenings to a warm meal and the comforting presence of his family. But instead, he sits anxiously in a crowded juvenile remand centre, surrounded by older boys in conflict with the law.

Matua is not a criminal. He has done nothing wrong. But when he was found alone after getting lost, unable to direct well-wishers back to his home, there was nowhere safe for him to go. In Kenya, children who are lost, abandoned, or in need of care often end up in juvenile detention or placed in long-term children’s homes, not because they belong there, but because there are too few alternatives. The juvenile justice system holds children as young as 8 yrs old, some facing charges, others, like Matua, simply because they have nowhere else to go.

This is no place for a vulnerable child. He is frightened, missing his family but unsure of how to find them. He needs protection, guidance, and love, not incarceration.

Our team visits the Remand Centre every week. We are a lifeline for children like Matua, offering friendship, encouragement, counselling, and most importantly, a way home. We sit with the children, listen to their stories, and work with officials to find leads and safe solutions. Through dedicated effort, we trace families, assess whether reunification is possible, and where necessary, advocate for better care options.

We employ and work closely with social workers, legal teams, and community leaders to create pathways out of remand and into family care. Whether it’s reuniting children with their parents, finding kinship care options, or connecting them with foster families, we do everything possible to bring hope and healing to their lives.

For Matua, and many children like him, our team is the bridge between being lost and finding home again. Until that day comes, we will continue showing up, because no child should ever feel forgotten.

Support Mutua, and children like him by making a donation today.

*To safeguard children's privacy and protect their identities, we use pseudonyms in our communications and publications.