PRECIOUS KIDS CENTER

PROVIDING THE ESSENTIALS WITHIN AN ENVIRONMENT OF LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, EVERY CHILD IN OUR HOME RECEIVES PROPER NUTRITION, CLEAN CLOTHES, AND A WARM BED. THESE ARE SIMPLE ESSENTIALS THAT MANY OF THESE CHILDREN HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE COMING LIVE IN THE HOUSE. WITHIN AN ENVIRONMENT OF LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, EVERY CHILD IN OUR HOME RECEIVES PROPER NUTRITION, CLEAN CLOTHES, AND A WARM BED. THESE ARE SIMPLE ESSENTIALS THAT MANY OF THESE CHILDREN HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE COMING LIVE IN THE HOUSE. MEETING MEDICAL NEEDS WHEN A CHILD IS BROUGHT INTO THE CENTER, WE DO A FULL CHECK-UP WITH A PEDIATRICIAN SO THAT WE CAN START EFFECTIVELY TREATING ANY ILLNESSES IMMEDIATELY. IF A DOCTOR RECOMMENDS THAT A CHILD NEEDS A SCAN OR ANY ADDITIONAL MEDICAL TESTS, WE DRIVE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO THE CLOSEST HOSPITAL WHERE THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE GIVEN THE UTMOST CARE.WE PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF MEDICAL CARE, RANGING FROM TREATING COLDS TO ADMINISTERING DAILY EPILEPSY MEDICATION. WE ALSO HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER THAT PROVIDES GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING TO MANY OF THE CHILDREN. SHE PROVIDES THEM WITH SOMEONE SAFE TO TALK TO AND HELPS THEM THROUGH ANY PAST OR PRESENT CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE FACING. ALONG WITH OUR SOCIAL WORKER WE HAVE A THERAPIST THAT COMES TO THE HOUSE TWICE A WEEK. HE PROVIDES PHYSICAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY, AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EXERCISES. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES WE ALSO STARTED A SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EDUCATION IN AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT. EACH STUDENT HAS INDIVIDUALIZED GOALS THAT THEY WORK TO COMPLETE WITH A TEACHER BEFORE THE TERM ENDS. WE ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPING SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM SO THAT EACH CHILDS INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARE FULLY MET. PRECIOUS ECD (EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT) IS A NURSERY SCHOOL THAT CATERS TO CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. TYPICALLY ECD CATERS TO CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF THREE AND SIX YEARS OLD AND IS SIMILAR TO PRE SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN IN THE UNITED STATES. IN KENYA, IF YOUR CHILD HAS A DISABILITY, IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO FIND A SCHOOL THAT WILL ACCEPT THEM SO MOST CHILDREN JUST STAY HOME WITHOUT AN EDUCATION AND ARE SEEN AS UNTEACHABLE. OUR SCHOOL IS WORKING TO CHANGE THAT SO WE ALLOW EVERY CHILD TO LEARN. BECAUSE OF THIS OUR YOUNGEST STUDENT IS THREE YEARS OLD AND OUR OLDEST STUDENT IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD. PRECIOUS ECD IS AN INTEGRATED SETTING WHERE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES LEARN ALONGSIDE THEIR PEERS AND ARE GIVEN THE INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS AND INSTRUCTION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE CHILDREN ARE DIVIDED BASED ON ABILITY. WE HAVE THREE CLASSES, BABY CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS AND PRE- UNIT. EACH YEAR THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE MASTERED THE CONTENT IN THEIR CURRENT CLASS ARE PROMOTED TO THE NEXT LEVEL. AT SCHOOL THEY LEARN TO WRITE, RECOGNIZE LETTERS AND NUMBERS, AND READ BASIC WORDS. THE STUDENTS ARE FED PORRIDGE AND LUNCH AT SCHOOL. THEY LEARN TO BE ACCEPTING AND LOVING OF CHILDREN WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM AN EARLY AGE AND IT IS ENCOURAGING TO COME IN THE CLASS AND SEE ONE OF THE TYPICALLY DEVELOPING STUDENTS FEEDING ONE OF THEIR PEERS OR COLORING WITH THEM OR PAIRING UP TO DO THE WORK. THE STUDENTS COME FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND WHERE PRECIOUS KIDS CENTER IS LOCATED.