The Ongata Rongai Organization for the Needy is a non-profit, registered Community Based Organization working in the Kware and Kisumu Ndogo slums of Ongata Rongai, Kenya, located 21km southwest of Nairobi City. It was started in 1996 in response to the needs of many children and women facing poverty and hopeless futures in the slums. Until today ORON has grown to an important fragment of community
work in Ongata Rongai, dealing with a broad target group through a variety of programs. Orphans & Vulnerable Children
Early Childhood-Education and Feeding Program :
ORONs major activity consists of providing 3 pre-school-education classes for disadvantaged children. The children attend baby-, nursery-, and pre-unit-school over 3 years aiming to be fully prepared to enter into primary school. Youth
Psycho-Social and Material Support:
Continuous psycho-social support groups for female as well as for male adolescents are a further activity of ORON. The groups provide a save space to meet and discuss topical issues the youth is faced with. ORON also uses the support groups to give information on pertinent topics including puberty, awareness of alcohol and substance abuse plus prevention of HIV/AIDS. Where possible, ORON provides material support to the youth, for instance toiletries and clothing. Vulnerable Women
Empowerment:
The rate of depression amongst women living in slums is quite high due to the challenges they face every day. Especially the cultural issue of gender inequality in Kenya as well as impoverished circumstances in the slums contributes to this situation. ORON offers psycho-social support groups for vulnerable and elderly women, where they get the opportunity to talk about personal issues and to get support and guidance from one another, while reducing their isolation. Community
HIV/AIDS Education:
Community sensitization of HIV/AIDS is still an important assignment, realized by community-education-seminars through ORON. Seminars about family life are also offered to educate and support parents.
