Organizational History

St. Vincent’s activities have evolved and expanded over more than twenty years to meet the changing needs of the community. Today, amidst hundreds of NGOs in Kibera, St. Vincent’s program stands out for its longevity and successes providing direct services within Kibera, staff competency and high standards of care. 

St. Vincent's was formally registered with NGO status in Kenya in 2004, but its founding members have been collectively engaged in various outreach efforts to the Kibera community for over two decades. St. Vincent's founders began as a group of church volunteers who came together to provide elderly people in their community with support. 

This was the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic when the disease began to push already poor families deeper into poverty and orphaned children started to be cared for in the extended family, including by grandparents who, with already limited resources and employment capacity, struggled to provide adequate care.  

Realizing that many of the people they were supporting were struggling to care for children who had been orphaned by AIDS and were now under their care, St. Vincent's transitioned its services to focus on children and helping guardians to support and care for children.

In 2000, St. Vincent's established the Nursery School to provide care, support, and early education for children ages 3-8 years.  A few years later, in 2005, St. Vincent's established the Rescue Center for orphaned and other extremely vulnerable children who have experienced abuse or neglect in their homes and have nowhere else to turn.