Tracing vital birth certificates of the children who join our family is a constant uphill struggle for social worker Uncle Billy.
Registering a birth is a legal requirement upon parents in Kenya, as it here, but still so many either evade the subject or fail to keep the records needed.
On Monday, s Uncle Billy, Administrator Auntie Rose and volunteer Jessika Poplawski, after collecting Arnold, who is acting voluntarily for a parent whose children are in our custody and who is unfit to handle the task herself, travelled 15kms in search of the crucial documents.
"This venture has been going on since early last year. Most of our kids come without a scrap of paper that can form a basis of getting the crucial documents.
"After proving that the task was too much for us, we made a step by acquiring the main document, made enough copies for everyone and held a meeting with the guardians and well-wishers who were involved in the admission of the children in mind.
"The theme of the meeting was to simply ask them to take the task upon themselves in ensuring that the papers were sought, completed and secured.
"Since then,we are making progress, albeit at a snail's pace, because by now we have received 13 birth certificates. So far so good"
Uncle Billy said that after visiting the Registrar's Office, Jessika, who is studying social work, was taken to Malindi Child Protection Centre where she was introduced to Eric the Children's Officer In-charge and was briefed what happens in that office on a daily basis.
Pictures show:
*Rose, Jessika and Arnold at the registration office.
*Harrison, Ushindi and Salama with their birth certificates.
