St Charles Lwanga Boystown was founded by Niermeyer Foundation in 1995
It is situated in Nairobi County, Njiru Sub County, Kangundo Road along Eastern Bypass Road.
David and Florence Niermeyer had visited Nairobi for the celebration of their 25th Wedding Anniversary in 1992. It was their encounter with children begging for coins on the streets in the city of Nairobi that set the wheels of the project in motion.
History
They started with a feeding programme but later realized the need for holistic intervention in the challenges the street boys were facing. They acquired land and started a home they called ‘Boystown Africa) and continued to support the home with local support.
From 2007 to 2015, Boystown was managed directly by the Archdiocese of Nairobi, then later in October 2015 they entrusted the management to the Eudist fathers and The Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
The Archdiocese has appointed a Board of trustees led by Fr. In charge of the Parish under which the home is to guide all the activities of the center and ensure proper utilization of resources. The Administrator (Eudist Fathers) reports to the Board and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Institution in all the components.
The running costs of the home and all its requirements are financed from support through the archdiocese (pays the teachers) and well-wishers who contribute to the feeding program, teaching and learning materials, extracurricular activities, vocational projects as per the resources available.
The founders built temporary structures for classrooms and dormitories, and these have remained so for the last 28 years. Currently, the center is home to eighty (80) boys but has a potential of one hundred and fifty(150) limited by inadequate resources and poor infrastructure.
The Centre was not spared by the effects of COVID-19, as many donors withdrew due to low business incomes. Their recovery has been affected by the high taxation and poor business environment, leading to lay-offs and closure of some of them.
