1. Exemplary Care

Getting the Basics Right: This vision of providing high quality care for children demands a strong foundation. It was lack of this foundation at orphanages and institutions in Nairobi that drove us to seek land outside of the city. Our site in the Aberdares Mountains provides abundant fresh water, plentiful and nutritious food, clean air and space for the children to play.

Setting the Scene: Flying Kites is inspirational. This is reflected both in the beautiful site we have chosen and the infrastructure being built. The poor have as much right to- and as much need of- physical beauty as anyone else. While remaining both functional and flexible, our buildings emphasize our refusal to compromise and demonstrate our innovative approach to childcare. Mindful of the transformative promise of space and the built environment, we have recruited a team of Kenyan architects to design a building that will ‘set the stage’ for the Flying Kites venture.

Building A Home: Central to the design of our first site is the "Family House". Individual buildings will play an important role in allowing the children to explore their cultural traditions and celebrate their country’s heritage. At full operating capacity, we aim to have 150 children living in 10 separate houses, per site. We are aware of the consequences of institutionalization in orphanages. By living in small family houses, rather than conventional dormitories, the children are raised in a setting that is as close to a family home environment as we can realistically provide. Children raised in Flying Kites Kinangop will know what it means to be Kenyan. Each building will house no more than fourteen children who will be cared for by an ‘auntie’ or ‘uncle.’ Carefully chosen and intensively trained, these staff members give the children the same love and guidance as a traditional family.

Planning For the Future: In order for children to learn effectively, their basic needs must be met. Children at Flying Kites are raised in a home environment; surrounded by people who love and care for them. Education is, of course, the only route for a child to break the cycle of poverty permanently.