MAAI MAHIU, KENYA
Maai Mahiu, Kenya, is a truck-stop town located on the Trans-African highway that spans from Lagos, Nigeria, in West Africa to Mombasa, Kenya, in East Africa. The semi-arid region around Maai Mahiu has no major sustainable industry presently, with a majority of local commerce carried out through small roadside businesses that cater to long haul truckers and other drivers passing on the highway. Prostitution, drugs, cheap alcohol, pornography, and inexpensive lodging make Maai Mahiu a popular overnight stop for weary truckers. Poverty is stifling and malnutrition is common for local people, especially since a lack of consistent rain prevents optimal crop yields in the area. The transient male population, AIDS and other diseases, and family violence leave children homeless, hungry, and orphaned.
basics
food
other facilities
Our 3-year-old LEAP Preschool building shares a roof with a game room for older children at Naomi’s Village. In 2019, we built a 4-year-old LEAP classroom building with bathrooms, plus a large playground nearby.
In 2012, we bought a 1/3- acre parcel of land adjoining the main home plot. Twin 4300 sq. ft. teen houses were constructed in 2017-18, each able to hold 20 teens and 2 caregivers.