Alfajiri Street Kids Art

Alfajiri Street Kids Art (Alfajiri) is a non-profit organization working to support and rehabilitate street children in Kenya. It is headquartered in Nairobi. It was founded in 2012 by Lenore Ann Boyd, an Australian artist and daughter of Guy Martin à Beckett Boyd, a member of the Boyd family. Its focus is using creative outlets as art and dance to engage at-risk children while seeking to provide them with safe spaces where they can grow and self-express.

History
Alfajiri Street Kids Art was founded in 2012 when its founder Lenore Boyd was in Nairobi City on a volunteer mission. She says that a chance encounter with a young street child inspired her to launch the organization. Lenore has always endeavored to go beyond the provision of the immediate needs (such as food and clothing) these children could be having. She has been offering them the platform to self-express creatively, and to find healing as they engage with art. Alfajiri has a distinct approach as it focuses on inviting the street children to share their personal stories through art.

The struggles of street children in Nairobi
The City of Nairobi is home to at least 60,000 street children. This challenge reflects the broader issues of poverty and homelessness in the Republic of Kenya. Among the problems which these children endure include rejection by the society, exposure to abuse, and struggle for survival. The root causes of their homelessness include death of a parent (often due to HIV/AIDS), extreme familial poverty, and constant violence within the home.

Art as a therapeutic outlet
The art therapy program was launched in 2013 after the stakeholders of Alfajiri recognized that art has significant therapeutic potential. The sketching, painting, and drawing are platforms which have helped the street kids to reflect, heal, and express themselves. Art is also motivating as it has helped the children involved in the program to recognize their inner strengths, have confidence, as well as believe in their abilities to succeed in life.

Success stories
Alfajiri has transformed the lives of the children who go through its art program. These kids are commonly referred to as ‘The Alfajiri Artists’, and their works have been displayed in several exhibitions in Nairobi Kenya as well as in Europe. Among the success stories include the case of John, a young Alfajiri artist who completed his studies prior to pursuing a rewarding career in pastry. Alfajiri has supported him in that endeavor.

Challenges encountered and efforts to assist
In spite of Alfajiri's efforts, many street children, particularly girls, have continued to face such challenges as exploitation and sexual abuse. The attempts to reintegrate the rehabilitated youths back into their families and communities in general have also been derailed by unforeseen impediments. Ultimately, a number of children return to the streets upon being rejected by their kin.

COVID-19 response
The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic introduced additional challenges to the stakeholders of Alfajiri Street Kids. School closed nationwide, and hence the organization had to educate the beneficiaries in formal education about safety measures. Moreover, it had to organize places for them to stay, or reunite them with their families. By then, the economic challenges being endured by these families had escalated. Yet another challenge was that eateries which provided Alfajiri with discounted food had closed, a situation that further worsened the difficulties faced by the street children. The effects of the pandemic are still being felt by the stakeholders of Alfajiri Street Kids.

Call for collaboration
As the Director of Alfajiri, Lenore Boyd encourages the local population to embrace the idea of supporting a non-governmental organization of their choice. Alfajiri has also been calling on establishments such as churches to provide temporary accommodation for the street children. That kind of support is particularly needed during such challenging times as when the society is enduring a pandemic.

Stakeholders of Alfajiri argue that challenges like poverty and homelessness in Kenya would be best addressed if there is strong governmental commitment and enhanced societal awareness. They also believe that international well-wishers have a role to play in regard to providing sustainable solutions to these problems. Alfajiri Street Kids is a beacon of hope for the street children in Nairobi. The organization offers them avenues to express themselves and to heal from the traumas they have endured.

Through art, the street children become motivated into envisioning a better future despite all the pain and suffering they have experienced in the past.