Sarakasi Trust - Smiles for Change Program (formerly Hospital Project) has been running edutainment programs in various hospitals and other children rehabilitation facilities in Nairobi and Maai Mahiu. The project involves children and youth from ages 2 to 21 and seeks to create more positive and friendlier environments as contribution to the healing and rehabilitation process. During its pilot phase (2006-2007), the program was offered to children in the Mater Hospital. In 2007 the project diversified to Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi District Hospital, offering similar programs in various pediatric wards. Different from the Mater Hospital the children at the latter hospitals come from poor, underprivileged backgrounds, and are often unaccompanied for extended periods. In addition to this, they at times stay long without visits from any parents/caregivers. Huge hospital bills prolong their stay and in extreme cases, some children are abandoned. In 2009, the project extended to non-hospital environments. We now reach out to children/youth with special needs (the differently able), orphans and vulnerable children/youth under the juvenile justice system. Our objective is attained through a specialized edutainment program that integrates the following activities:
Creative activities: art and craft, drawing, painting, making toys, card making. Entertaining activities: clowning, singing, music (hip hop/rap etc), dancing, drama, storytelling, puppetry and techniques, magic, acrobatics. Educative activities: writing e.g. poetry/ storytelling techniques, reading, board games and outdoor games. We are grateful to our sponsors, donors, patners and well wishers who continue to support our worthwhile project in cash and kind.
