About us
In African communities, the topic of missing children and the impact on those left behind is little understood and rarely talked about. The initial search is often the part of the experience that is most reported. Not knowing whether a loved one is dead or alive is an agonizing experience that can paralyze the families of missing children and leave them susceptible to a variety of mental health and psychosocial difficulties.
Gathering the data necessary to impact change for missing children is a global responsibility. If the UN Sustainable Development Goals are going to end violence against children by 2030, then there is a need to address the methods in which children become vulnerable to violence. No matter the reason behind a child going missing, a missing child is vulnerable to violence and exploitation. We must unite to create global guidelines and from there a global response.
When we started Missing Child Kenya Foundation in July 2016 we could not give a factual representation of the situation of the missing children in Kenya because of the little data we had based on the initial cases. We published a report in 2019 for the first time since our inception and annually thereafter to share the progress we have made towards our goal of child protection because we believe that we have a duty to raise awareness of the sustainability challenges we face as a society and to ensure that these remain part of the discussion in Kenya and around the world.
TOLL FREE LINE OPERATIONS
Whether a concerned adult or a child, one can dial 0800 22 33 44 to access our services. We receive calls for service from:
- Families and law enforcement agencies reporting a missing child and seeking assistance in their search.
- People reporting the sighting of a missing child.
- Professionals seeking resources to assist in missing child cases.
- Families needing reunification assistance once their child is found.
Upon receiving the call and case information about a missing, lost and found/ displaced child, the Missing Child Kenya team provides FREE resources for the search of missing children between the ages of 0-18 in the following ways:
- Creating a personalized and suitable missing child poster for your child.
- Posting and distribution of your child’s photo/poster on the Missing Child Kenya platforms and networks.
- Helping you work with your community, law enforcement (police) and the media (mainstream and online social media) to share information about your missing child.
- Documentation of institutionalized lost and found children for record to be used in trace & reunification with their families.
- Linkage / referral to agencies that offer psycho-social support for families e.g. counseling.