The SSV Mission in Ol Moran operates a rescue home for children with disabilities and homeless young adults who need care due to emotional and physical health issues. The children of Magnificat House are under the loving and watchful care of Sr. Mary who keeps them laughing and smiling due to her fun and kind nature. There is room to roam and play and plenty of animals to watch and sometimes chase. Magnificat House shares a large space of open grass adjacent to the garden and farm with playground swings and climbing gym. Two young mothers who are also residents with the children assist the sisters in caring for the children, keeping house, meals and laundry. Many hands are needed at mealtime because some of the small children are profoundly disabled and require one-on-one assistance.
In this area of Kenya there remains a stigma attached to the birth of a child with a disability. The SSV Sisters have been working with the local tribes to educate them about the dignity of each person and the beauty and blessings inherent in a child with physical or mental challenges. They are sometimes alerted by neighbors if a child is born with a deformity or is malnourished because the neighbors wish to protect the child. The SSV Sisters will propose to find short term and long term solutions to help the family with healthcare needs or temporarily take in a child to improve their nourishment and weight with the goal of returning the child to the family and monitoring the progress through home visits and follow-up care. Some children need higher level medical intervention or possible surgery to help them achieve good outcomes and for this the SSV Sisters seek out the appropriate care. Other children benefit from placement in a school community that will address their physical needs and help them to flourish. In this instance the SSV congregation supports the special education of children placed in schools for the deaf, a school for the mentally challenged, and school for the children with physical disabilities.
Magnificat House is also a refuge for young girls who have suffered abuse and seek shelter, protection, and help reclaiming their life through through education and job training. The Sisters also try to work with the local tribal people to promote better education for girls and help to end the practice of female genital mutilation.
There is a great need to build a new Magnificat House with more beds, larger kitchen, laundry, and job skill room to help the SSV Sisters meet the growing needs.