Kusitawi Village
In 2006 we created Kusitawi Village (“thrive” in Swahili) for girls and boys at risk of being abused or sold into marriage, slavery or prostitution. We presently have approximately 70 children residing at these “safe” houses. Here they are given supervision, counseling and care to allow them to heal physically and emotionally. This is not an orphanage. Our desire is to bring the child back to a “whole” state and then work with relatives to find a safe living environment for them. No child is ever returned to a living situation that is unsafe.
Kusitawi includes 6 acres of land for farming with various crops producing all of the food for the safe house and some for our feeding program. We have solar power and a windmill on the property to produce power for the dorms, office and dining hall. There is a well that provides potable water and piping and a pump from the river that is used to irrigate the farm. One goal is to set up a drip irrigation system that will require much less water for the farm thereby reducing the cost for fuel to run the pump and allow for planting of more land to supply a greater crop yield that can be sold to local residents. The goal is to make Kusitawi completely self-sufficient.
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