Joy Children’s Village
Joy Village is a children's home that provides unconditional love and quality support to HIV+/AIDS orphans and vulnerable Kenyan children. It is designed to create a true family for these abandoned children. Our “mamas” have been trained to develop an atmosphere of love, support and accountability for 8 to 12 children each. Each family lives in a private apartment, sets goals specific to their family, manages a family budget, and anything else you would assume of a typical family. The model intentionally avoids some of the pitfalls of an institutional model by creating an environment of true love and the human touch one can only draw from being in a caring home.
MEET RUTH:
Ruth looks over the 60 children who currently reside in the Joy Village. Along with government and community support, Ruth helps to identify the children in crisis and places them with the mother and family she sees best fit. She is responsible for enrolling them in the correct schools and for ensuring their overall well-being. She is the liaison between the Joy Village and the leaders of Tree of Lives and Nazareth Hospital to communicate and give updates. Ruth originally studied Social Work and then began working at Holy Family Center as a social worker. She worked with the Browns when they first got involved with Tree of Lives. She originally assisted them with identifying patients with the most need. In 2010, when the Joy Village was created, she got the opportunity to lead the project. She is married to her husband Harrison and they have 3 children together with another on the way. You can tell that she has true passion for the organization and really values creating a haven for each of the children who call the Joy Village home.
MEET MARY:
Mary lives on the grounds at the Joy Village, overseeing day to day activities, managing the budget, and providing support for the mamas and the children. She works to cultivate relationships with the children’s school teachers as well as community leaders in Limuru, the district where the Joy Village is located, and sources donations of clothing, food, and supplies for the families. Her favorite parts of her job include conducting weekly Bible studies with the mamas and teaching the kids how to bake! She loves the children as her own and never stops thinking of ways to show them they are cherished and valued. The kids adore her and the mamas appreciate having a helping hand and working together to create a loving home for each family. We are excited to welcome her to the Tree of Lives family!
What Tree of Lives provides to the Joy Village:
1. A safe, loving home with a mama to meet each child’s need.
2. Medications and access to physicians for medical care and treatment.
3. Tuition to attend school and remediation if needed. And, all supplies needed for school, including books, backpacks, uniforms and shoes.
4. All other items including clothing, food and health insurance, all within a family.
