Impact Of Non-governmental Organization Initiated Projects On Disadvantaged Children Needs In Nairobi

Abstract

Millions of children across the globe are victims of exploitation, abuse and violence each year and the physical and psychological consequences on their lives are devastating Different players have offered solutions, permanent or temporary but these interventions often come too late and are mainly responsive and not preventive in nature In Kenya, urbanization brought about a radical reorganization of the social structure and a weakening of social ties resulting in mushrooming of informal settlements symbolic of urban poverty Children born and raised in an environment where food, clothing, education, proper shelter and even emotional support are very limited are most disadvantaged In addition, the spread of lUV/AIDS and subsequent loss of both parents are detrimental to the overall wellbeing and development of children In response to children's problems, many NGOs have sprung up to offer wide ranging solutions The main objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which children focused NGOs have identified and addressed the needs of disadvantaged children in society Using a sample of ten children focused NGOs and fifty beneficiaries in selected slums of Nairobi, data was collected using questionnaires and analysis done by SPSS to make inferences and draw conclusions on the findings of the study I he study found out that children focused projects are numerous and varied, and are mostly concentrated in Nairobi's slum areas The programs address physical and psychological needs of children with a majority focusing on education According to ihc study, NGOs generally felt satisfied with the progress made in their projects They admitted that the resources were a constraint liven in their success, the N(K)s had to contend with the complaints and dissatisfaction arising mostly from the community expectations. Of interest in the study were the factors contributing to the needy status of the children Loss of parents exacerbated by the spread of HIV/AIDS was the main cause of children's problems The majority of the beneficiaries testified that the NGO's help was irregular and could not be relied upon A large proportion of NGOs. however, rated their programs to be sustainable The study found out that the NGOs carrying out projects that targeted disadvantaged children in Nairobi were actually changing the lives of those they touched The intensity of the projects was. however, found to be low compared to the levels of need The study also revealed that NGOs used reliable means to identify beneficiaries of their projects, which included involving churches and the provincial administration The community members themselves played a major pan in ensuring that only the needy get assisted. The study was carried out in Nairobi slums only due to resource constraints and limited time Other researches should be carried out elsewhere in the country to facilitate the formulation of a well-informed policy that can level the playground for the all NGOs assisting disadvantaged children