The Problem

The Bella Ciao compound is home to two programs in Nairobi’s Kawangware Slum: Real Hope, a safe house and drop-in centre for at-risk children, and Joyful Hearts, a day program offering therapy and care for children with cerebral palsy. Together, they provide safety, support, and a path forward for some of the city’s most vulnerable children.

But space is running out. Over the past year, more children have been referred by government agencies due to abuse or neglect. Kenya’s foster care system is limited, and when safe houses like Real Hope are full, children may be placed in juvenile detention – not for breaking the law, but simply because there’s nowhere else to go.

Joyful Hearts also faces space constraints, able to support only 12 children at a time. While they’ve built strong referral partnerships, those facilities cannot offer the same full-day, specialized care. Overcrowding is stretching both programs thin and limiting their ability to help more children.

The Project

In the midst of this challenge, a rare opportunity has emerged. The neighbouring property to Bella Ciao has been offered at a discounted rate, specifically because of the life-changing work taking place on the current grounds! Real Hope and Joyful Hearts aim to purchase the land and build a facility that will allow both programs to grow.

Future phases will include more classrooms, a new kitchen, and a recreation hall, but the main focus right now is purchasing the adjacent property and constructing a facility that will directly address the space limitations at Bella Ciao.

• First Floor: A bigger space for Joyful Hearts, equipped for full-day therapy. This expansion will allow the team to serve more children who are currently being referred elsewhere due to lack of space.
• Second Floor: A new dormitory for Real Hope, providing additional shelter for children in urgent need. The dormitory will include bathrooms and private rooms for house parents.