The core issue related to children in conflict with the law is the fact that due to their age and immaturity, children warrant separate and different treatment from their adult counterparts in criminal processes due to their vulnerability and limited capacity, as they are still in a formative stage of development.

Poverty and inequalities have very serious consequences on childhood in Kenya, generating 3.6 million orphans, 25-30% of primary school leaving and 1.2 million children that are excluded from school. The combination of several risk factors, such as cost of living, unemployment, crumbling of traditional bonds and HIV/AIDS, makes it impossible for families to ensure to their children core rights such as education and health.

Many children are victims of neglect, abandonment and abuse, are labelled as “rubbish”, excluded from school or healthcare services and obliged to work precariously or illegally on the street. Many are arrested and handed to the juvenile justice system, ending up in governmental centres for minor offences (24%) or because they need treatments or protection (76%).

This project is aimed at 8 governmental for governmental institutes for minors in the area of Nairobi and its goal is to strengthen and improve the quality of the services offered to beneficiaries through the creation and implementation of pedagogical training modules for caregivers. Among these eight centres, a preventive-detention facility and a governmental female school of rehabilitation have been identified to act on two fronts: on the hand, increasing hosted minors’ vocational training options; on the other, optimising minors’ recovery and socio-professional reintegration process after their rehabilitation is completed. Furthermore, special attention is placed to beneficiaries becoming part of a network where to find real study or internship options after leaving the centre.

According to L’Albero della Vita targeted investment in jobs and human development is unquestionably needed to mitigate the conditions that lead to crime.

Beneficiaries: at least 2,500 young and teenage girls and boys; 100 members among governmental staff and volunteers working in the centres; 1,500 community stakeholders involved with different functions in child protection at peripheral levels.