- P. O. Box 68– 40100 Kisumu, Kenya.
- neri.boyz.kisumu@gmail.com WhatsApp: +421 907 787 822
- Mon - Sun 9.00 - 18.30 Karibu mgeni mwema!
THE NEW HOUSE
A fundraiser to expand our activity, to give our boys a comfortable place to restart
As we show our boys the better way, as we upbring them, so our experience grows with them. Unfortunately, the number of streetboys in Kisumu city raises too.
Until today, a rented house was used for the purposes of the SPNR center. After contemplation, discussions and weighing our options, we decided to move into our own. We found a nice house, near Lake Victoria, not far from our current residence.
However, this house has been lying idle for a long time. We need to properly renovate it and adapt it to our needs and local legislative requirements for a children's center. We have to re-install electricity and water, to strengthen the structure, lay a new tiled floor in several rooms, to put together the kitchen, build outside a new dry toilet and a football pitch. We also have to adapt the dormitory, sitting/eating room and internal bathroom.
Therefore, we are turning to you, our sponsors and benefactors, with a request for help. The main sponsor of the project is, as always, the University of st. Elizabeth, which provided a substantial financial amount for the purchase of the property. For all the other expenses mentioned, we are dependent on the goodwill of the people.
About Us
St. Philip Neri Rescue Centre (SPNR) is a Community Based Organisation (CBO) located in Nyalenda slum, the suburb of Kenya’s eastern Kisumu town. Our humanitarian organisation is one of many development and charity projects founded and overseen by St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic. Our mission addresses one of the most acute social disasters observed in Kenya - the shocking number of abandoned, homeless children.
Mission Statement
At SPNR we are applying a unique (according to the local habits), non-violent, communicative philosophy of upbringing. The principle of responsibility is being shown through both freedom and trust. Discipline is taught via non-invasive responsibilities, schedules and their rigorous control. Willingness to cooperate and fulfil the responsibilities is rewarded by a program rich with entertainment.
Our Vision
The core of our mission is gradual preparation for total reintegration into society. To complete this purpose it’s necessary to find a way for our pupils to live within the local ambient. To enable them to accept the traits of their culture, which are going to surround them in their adult lives.
‘’we show children the nature of reality so that they are able to make conscious decisions’’ .
STATISTIC: More than 300,000 children struggle to survive on the streets of Kenya every day
According to the central government of Kenya, in 2018 the number of street children was estimated at 300 thousand souls, ranging from the age of 4 to adulthood. However, the accuracy of this number is quite questionable. Most of these children survive from day to day, while notoriously abusing cheap inhalant drugs like kerosene (jet fuel) and shoe glue, as well as herbal drugs- khat and marijuana. The fatal, long term effects are obvious. After years of inhalant abuse, the child is no longer able to learn new skills or absorb any complex information. Due to various diseases, malnutrition, violence or drug related problems, the lifespan of these poor individuals rarely exceeds 25 years. Street children are also expelled from any social interaction with other population, which tends to ignore, or even physically intimidate them. Such woeful circumstances form the vicious circle of drugs, robberies and violence, that makes it almost impossible for them to escape this misery. These children are usually exposed to multiple forms of abuse since early childhood, therefore their traits of behavior are fundamentally damaged.
A Brief Explanation
The British imperial power, which assisted by drawing the borders of the present-day East African states, closed 44 different tribes within one state- Kenya. Each of them has its own specific customs, interests and language. This has led to not only chronically difficult political situation, but also radically different approaches in regards to the family life. In Kisumu three tribal groups are prevalent, these are Luo, Luhya and Kisii. All of the children who have stepped through the gate of our centre were of this origin. The traditions of these western tribes are condemning many of their children to perdition. If the parents get divorced or the father passes away, their children are supposed to stay with the mother. If she will be able to find another partner in future, her sons are going to be banished, left to their own.
Tribes
The Republic of Kenya (Jamhuri ya Kenya) counts 44 different tribal groups. Last one to be officially recognised was ,Muindi' (Kenyans of South Asian descent). The six largest tribes make up about half of the population, these are the ones of the greatest cultural and political weight.
Impact of Tribal System
Each of these tribes has its own culture, political interests and values. The natural sense of uniqueness and exclusivity of each tribe leads to the creation of various kinds of pressure. From marital chauvinism to pre-election tension, which often leads to violence.
HOW WE STARTED
The SPNR was officially registered under the authority of the Department of Social Development in Kisumu East sub-county at the year 2016, though the beginning dates back to 2014.
THE FIRST TOUCH
That year the current director of the Centre, Mr. Tomáš Rusňák began to visit Kisumu’s street boys regularly, while he directed a malnutrition project in the nearby city of Muhoroni and supervised the reformation of supportive Malindi project (both of them also under patronage of St. Elizabeth University). His leisure visits included non-formal conversations and minor, short-term assistance for local homeless children. After nearly two years of Mr. Rusňák’s activity within the city centre, where the street children spend almost all of their time, he met the local social worker Vincent Ochieng, who has been involved in similar humanitarian activities within Kisumu Town.
PROGRESS
After a period of collaboration, Mr. Ochieng suggested that by founding a Community Based Organisation the aid could be extended, therefore the impact on children would be more comprehensive. Time has shown that this seed has fallen on fertile ground. Thanks to the dedication and knowledge of both legal and social conditions the future director and his manager designed a systematic operational scheme. Mr. Rusňák consulted and presented this new project to the board of trustees of the St. Elizabeth’s University, which granted its consent to the establishment of SPNR centre focused on the rescue, rehabilitation, upbringing and subsequent reintegration of forlorn children within the province.
FORMATION
After the official approval of the charitable project at the Slovak academic, a permit necessary for our performance was also granted by Kenyan authorities. Our founders managed to find a rental house with a compound included, within Nyalenda B. Up to this day, the location of our home has not changed. The estate and its surroundings were adapted to the requirements of both local authorities and our specific orientation. Over time, the football playground with a basketball hoop and a workout site were built in front of the rescue centre. As the playground is situated outside of our compound, we are happy to welcome children and young people from the area.
Our Living Space
The compound has flourished within the walls of SPNR as well. The Neri Boys transformed the shambles into a cozy, functional home. Both our boys and employees took part in works. By supervising each other, they could experience what it takes to work together, to depend on each other. A priceless lesson, indeed. Especially when fruits of the work is everyday living space.
NERI BOYS ALMA MATER
St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences in Bratislava
St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences, based in Bratislava (the capital of the Slovak Republic) is a private university founded on October 7, 2002 as a non-profit organisation (in acc. with Act No. 213/1997 of the Legal Code), officially established on September 24, 2003 by a government resolution (No. 891/2003). ,De iure' consists of one virtual faculty divided into 10 departments with humanitarian/humanistic and medical orientation.
The St. Elizabeth University provides generally beneficial services such as education, training, research, scientific and technical services, information services in the field of nursing and social work, provision of social help and humanitarian care. The message of St. Elizabeth adheres to the tradition of Christian humanism and Christian ethics. Its main purpose is to serve the sick and poor, regardless of race, nationality or religion, to protect the life from its conception until a dignified, natural death.
The University participates in research activities and collective study programs with the University of Scranton (USA), the Catholic University of Nairobi (Kenya), the International University Hamburg (Germany), the University of South Bohemia (Czech republic), the Khemarak University (Cambodia) and Diakoneteuniversität Oslo (Norway).
As mentioned, in addition to academic occupations such as research and education, the main objective of the University is the humanitarian activity. The St. Elizabeth University is currently comprehensively covering (professional guarantee, work coordination, finances, legal background etc.) more than 50 projects in around 30 different countries in 5 continents. These numerous projects are funded by the University's own resources (tuition fees) and state or private contributions.
STRONG BASE
St. Elizabeth University provides legal, professional and administrative background to SPNR centre since its dawn until today. We are glad to be entrusted to a highly skilled office team from Bratislava.
FINANCES
Our alma mater is the main financial source of SPNR. All of our basic needs such as house maintenance, school fees, regular meals etc. are funded by the resources of the University. In addition, all our expenses are processed and controlled from above, the accounting department in Bratislava.
FUNCTIONAL BACKGROUND
Various unpredictable situations can occur even during a regular day. St. Elizabeth is always ready to help us with the professional advice and with the reinforcement in our ranks. Even in case of natural disasters or other urgent events we can relly on our big Mother.
OUR ,PÁN PROFESOR'
Prof. M. D. Vladimír Krčméry, DrSc., FRSP, FACP, FRCP, Dr.h.c mult. is a Slovak doctor, scientist, expert in tropical medicine, infectology and oncology, university teacher and the founder of many medical and social facilities around the world, as well as foreign humanitarian missions within development countries. Among these, he is also the founding father of both St. Elizabeth University and our SPNR Rehabilitation centre, to which he always was a dear friend.
Professor Krčméry was born July 23, 1960 in Bratislava to an academic family during the communist dictatorship in former Czechoslovakia (ČSSR). In 1985 graduated at the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava. He completed his postgraduate education in Slovakia, USA, Czech Republic and United Kingdom.
His professional career started immediately after graduation in 1985 at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases at University Hospital in Bratislava from where he left to work at the St. Elizabeth’s Oncology Institute, also located in Slovak capital, where he held the position of Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology.
Professor Krčméry was also one of the developers of the Slovak Medical University and The University of Trnava. During this activity he managed to spread his academic, scientific and humanitarian activities internationally, firstly within Kenya.
For the purpose of complex auspices of charitable activities and possible establishment of new ones, prof. Krčméry decided to found a private university which would be able to generate both social and medical experts and income. This is the purpose of St. Elizabeth University until these days. It has flourished being faithful to its Christian principle.
Professor Vladimír Krčméry has been the Rector since the foundation of the University with a short 4 year break. As the head of it, he managed to expand its educational activities concerning medical and social work around Europe and Africa. It cooperates with many development and humanitarian projects based in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin and South America.
During his long professional career, he established plenty strong relationships with some of the Slovak, foreign and international organisations like SlovakAid, WHO, Salesians of Don Bosco, the Order of the Missionaries of Charity and many others. His team participated under his command even in worldwide monitored situations, such as in the humanitarian mission at Haiti disaster in 2010, the Ebola epidemic outbreak in Congo, etc.
During the first wave of the COVID pandemic he held the position of the member of the Slovak Crisis Council, responsible for directing government anti-pandemic measures, which have shown to be very effective. Professor Krčméry was also the first one to be vaccinated in Slovakia, being a head of ProVax campaign.
In private he is a modest, friendly personality. Mr. Professor is happily married father of four children. Being a deeply religious person, he is also publicly engaged in unborn children rights. During the communist regime, he was involved actively in illegal religious movements and other anti-regime activities.
