In 2018, we purchased a plot of land in Kiritiri, Kenya to build a new campus for the Victoria’s Children orphanage. We had previously been renting a home in Makuyu, but had outgrown it and knew we needed a larger campus to achieve all that we wanted to with Victoria’s Children.
We chose this location because there was enough acreage available at an affordable price. Another perk to this location is that the kids in grade school are able to walk to the local school, which is less than a mile away (our high schoolers go to boarding school).
We cleared fields and brush to break ground on our new dormitory. We built the dormitory with a capacity to house 48 children and six house mothers, with the capability to add a second floor onto the dormitory if we wanted to expand it. It has indoor showers and restrooms, as well as a dining and study room. It’s common to have detached kitchens in Kenya, so we built a small kitchen approximately thirty feet from the dormitory. For a few years, these were our only buildings on the campus. Having this space allowed us to grow and take in more children.
In 2021, we built a greenhouse so we can grow produce for the children to eat, and to sell the remainder of our produce at the local market so we can use the proceeds to purchase whatever items the kids may need. With help from our house mothers, the children are also responsible for tending to the greenhouse. Learn more about this initiative here.
When we were planning this new campus, it was our vision that not only would this be a home for our children, but also a community space for the local village when needed. With that in mind, we built a detached dining hall near the kitchen in 2022. This is where the kids eat all of their meals, have church service on Sundays and spend time doing homework, reading and playing.
It is a common practice in Kenya that once boys reach a certain age, they must live in a separate building than girls. In keeping with Kenyan traditions, we built a boys dormitory in 2022. It can house 20 boys and we’ve hired a house father to live on the property with the boys to help monitor and mentor them.
In 2022, we installed a security gate and fence around the perimeter of the campus for security. We also have a night watchman (security guard) to help keep an eye on things throughout the night, mostly for animals. We also purchased security cameras to further ensure the safety of our children and of the orphanage.
It’s thanks to the generosity of our Victoria’s Children supporters and with God’s grace that we’ve been able to create such a loving home for our children.
