Nyumbani Orphanage
The Nyumbani Children's Home was founded by Father Angelo D'Agostino and Sister Mary Owens in 1992 to serve mostly abandoned children created by the AIDS pandemic. Since then, three more programs have been added to the organization.
Background
Originally a medical doctor in the US Air Force, D'Agostino joined the Jesuits early in his career, focused on psychiatry, and held various teaching positions. But it was through his experience working with Jesuit charities that D'Agostino learned of the need for specialized facilities for abandoned children in Nairobi, Kenya. Today over 100 orphans or abandoned children live at Nyumbani Children's Home located in Karen, Nairobi.In 1998, the recognition that there was a need to expand the basic initiative of Nyumbani Home to other locales led to the Lea Toto program. This is "a community-based outreach program providing services to HIV+ children and their families in the Kangemi, Waithaka, Kawangware, Riruta, Mutuini, Ruthimitu, Kibera and Kariobangi communities of Nairobi, Kenya." Nyumbani's Lea Toto HIV/AIDS program operates eight centers and serves between 2,100 and 3,100 HIV-positive children and up to 15,000 family members every year.
In 2006, Nyumbani Village, which cares for over 1,000 children and 100 elderly grandparents, was established on 1,000 acres in Kitui County, Kenya.
The Nyumbani programs are supported by international boards in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Kenya. In addition to individual donations and corporate sponsorships, the executive boards around the world raise operating funds, provide expertise and volunteers.