The James Project - Serving Widows and Oprphans

James Project Africa

In September 2006, James Project joined in a partnership to support St Lazarus School in the Kibera Slum in Nairobi, Kenya. - view the video

Classroom

The mission of this partnership is to extend the love of the Lord Jesus Christ to children and families dwelling in the Kibera slum, through the St. Lazarus Informal School. All partners will share in the prayer, financial, and physical support of the ministry. U. S. partners serve on a supervisory board through which the U. S. partners will interact with each other and the ministry partners in Nairobi. The ministry partners in Nairobi serve on the Executive Management Board (EMB) responsible for daily operations and interaction with the Supervisory Board.

Kibera Slum, Nairobi, Kenya

The Kibera slum of Nairobi is the largest slum (in terms of population) in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Alioune Badiane, the director of the UN Human Settlements Program: "It has 3,000 persons per hectare; I do not see any other place in the world that has such a density". Kibera has more than 1.2 million people in an area about the size of Manhattan's Central Park (~ 2.5 square kilometers = ~ 600 acres). More than 25% of the population of Kibera has been diagnosed with AIDS, and most of the residents live in an atmosphere of despair and severe deprivation. Many of the children are orphans at an early age due to AIDS and other diseases. More than 50% of the population is under the age of 15, and approximately 80% of all youth are unemployed.

- view the Slideshow

St. Lazarus Kibera Informal School was formed to provide spiritual, physical, and emotional support to the children of the Kibera slum, many of whom are AIDS Orphans. The spiritual support is provided through the Bible teaching and care of the staff. The physical support is provided through the feeding program (2 hot meals per day) and basic medical care. The emotional support is provided through the daily interaction and care of the students and their parents or relatives.

Kibera Kids in the courtyard

St. Lazarus now has four teachers, a headmistress, and ninety students meeting in four classrooms. There is a newly established board of directors, based in Nairobi. The children at St. Lazarus hear, and see, and taste God’s love and providence every day at school. Many children's lives have been touched through St. Lazarus School, and we hope to see God’s continued leading in the development of this ministry to vulnerable children.