How to Start a Children’s Home in Kenya in 2024

Setting up a children’s home in Kenya involves a series of procedures, where you have to visit several offices before you secure a license for the home. If you plan to establish one, you must get consent from the ministry of control of children’s welfare through the National Council for Children’s Services (NCCS) and Area Advisory Council( ACC). Keep reading to know how to start a children’s home in Kenya in eight easy steps.

Steps to Start a Children’s Home in Kenya

1. Name Search

how to start a children's home in Kenya
Happy children

A name provides a sense of identity not only for people but also for organizations. The first thing for you is to search for a suitable name for the orphanage. You can do this by visiting Huduma Centre and registering your name.

They will tell you if the name exists, which will force you to get another different name. To be safe, you can go with several names. Once the name is registered, you can move to the next step.

2. Document Presentation

The second step is to visit the offices of the National Council for Children’s Services and present the name of the organization and the following documents:

  • Certificate of good conduct for yourself, board members, and people you plan to work with.
  • Community assessment report. Before starting a children’s home in a particular area, you will be required to do research in the community. The analysis is included in this report, and it indicates whether that particular area needs a children’s home.
  • Financial plan. Where will you get the finances to fund the institution?
  • Accounts books
  • The constitution. It contains the rules and regulations under which the home will operate.
  • Site plan for the place the home will be located.
  • Title deed. As evidence of property ownership.
  • Public health inspection report
  • The area advisory committee meeting minutes
  • Report of the area advisory committee inspection
  • List of trustees of board members
  • Children behavior management policy  
  • Curriculum Vitae for all staff members
  • Medical report of food handlers
  • Program plan like the number of children the hone can cater for.
  • Complaint procedure of the children
  • Human resource policy.

3. Filling of Forms

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You’ll be given an application form to fill out and later submit together with a Charitable Children’s Institution checklist. 

4. Form Submission

Once you fill out the application form and ensure all items on the checklist are in order, submit the form to the nearest Area Advisory Council office.

5. Acknowledgement

Within 30 days, the Area Advisory Council will acknowledge the application and inform when the institution will be inspected.

6. Visiting the Institution

The Area Advisory Council will visit the institution to check if it has met the standard requirements for best practice.

7. Feedback

If the institution does not meet the standards, you will be informed on which area to improve before approval.

8. Registration of the Children’s Home

If the home meets the required standards, the Area Advisory Council director, with the approval of NCCS, will urge the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to give the registration certificate to the institution. This takes place after three months.

Note: Children’s home registration in Kenya is free.

Eligibility Criteria   

A charitable children’s institution (CCI) is an organization or home founded by an individual, incorporation or corporate, a faith-based organization, or a non-governmental organization seeking approval by the National Council for Children Services (NCCS) to manage a program for the protection, care, and rehabilitation of the children.

A charitable children’s institution should not include the following

  • A school within the meaning of the Education Act
  • Any health institution
  • A rehabilitation school established by the minister under section 47 of the children’s Act.
  • A children’s daycare center, nursery, or similar establishment.
  • A borstal institution

Offices Locations and Contacts

Association of Charitable Children Institution of Kenya

Po box 74873-00200 Nairobi

Tel: 0725332383/0732422364/0735412116/ 0732818138

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection

Bishop Rd, Social Security House

P. O Box 40326-00100, Nairobi

Tel: +254 02729801

Fax: +254 0202726497

Email: info@socialprotection.go.ke, info@labour.go.ke

What is required to sustain a children’s home?

Here are a few essential things regarding the sustainability of the children’s home.

1.      The most significant need will always remain to be money. You will require a lot of money, significantly as your home grows in size. While domestic or international support can be beneficial, it’s also a good idea to consider ways to keep your initiative going in other areas like running businesses.

2.      As the number of children grows, you will realize that you need help. Good people are not easy to find, especially when you need them to work for cheap. Start to look for help long before you need it.

3. A website that states your goals. This will make a difference. It is essential to get your name out there.

How to get new donors for your Institutions

Since money is the critical factor in sustaining your children’s home, it’s essential to learn how to get more donors and maintain a healthy relationship with the existing ones. Discovering new donors require your effort and commitment.

Here are a few ways to guide you on how to get new donors.

Relationship Mapping

Your best source of new donors is your present donors, volunteers, and board members. What kind of guests do they invite? Who is sharing your social media posts? Cultivating your relationship is good donor stewardship and helps improve your community’s reputation.

Do A Lot Of Research

Read magazines and newspapers to see who is active in your area you would like to know better. Keep up with critical new hires and promotions at renowned corporations. These publications present prospects to present yourself, congratulate them, and begin a conversation.

Donor’s lists are constantly publicized in the annual report. Analyze the people on the list and find where their lures insects with your mission. Take time to engage them and create a relationship before asking for donations.

Build Partnerships

Collaborate with like-minded institutions to gain a wider audience’s trust.

Get Where they Are

Find out how your prospect uses social media, where they get their news, and what other institutions they support. Participate in similar activities.

Get Out in the Community

Don’t even consider “working the room if you are an introvert.” Begin by introducing yourself to one or two new people on each occasion. Set a goal for yourself to develop at least five new relationships before leaving an event. Before realizing it, you will recognize familiar people and expand your network.   

Host Cultivation Parties

Ask your current donors and board members to throw a house party and invite friends and coworkers. Take a few minutes in the evening to give visitors a brief overview of your organization’s activity. Request your host to explain why they support you and motivate others to do it.

Set up a sign-in sheet so that you may collect mailing and email addresses. Offer a gift package with a grant buck label and stamped remit envelop. Follow up the following day with the visitors, telling them how nice it was meeting them.

Incorporate these steps in your daily fundraising work to attract, identify and retain donors.

Bottom Line

Establishing a children’s home is one way of helping needy children with nowhere to go. Starting a children’s home may seem long, but after following the above steps on how to start a children’s home in Kenya, you’ll have a legally recognized home.

While you can end up helping hundreds, you should be careful because you can also ruin innocent lives. Cases of children being abused in children’s homes are not new.  If you are not providing care and protection to innocent souls, please don’t open your doors.

Finance is the greatest challenge in running a children’s home. This guide on how to start a children’s home in Kenya has provided a list of ways to source donors. We hope you’ll be successful in your search for donors.