On May 24, 2025, Kenya joined the global community in marking International Missing Children’s Day with a national event held at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Ngong Town. The commemoration brought together government officials, faith leaders, civil society organizations, local communities, and children to raise awareness and strengthen collective action in the protection and recovery of missing children. Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, Ms. Carren Ageng’o, shared sobering statistics from 2024, highlighting that 8,824 cases of missing and found children were recorded through the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS). Of these, 3,866 children remained missing, while 2,336 were successfully reunited with their families or placed in alternative care. Ms. Ageng’o emphasized the importance of a coordinated national response and stronger child protection mechanisms.
The event featured strong advocacy on the risks children face in both physical and digital spaces. Hon. Millie Odhiambo, Member of Parliament for Suba North and a passionate child rights advocate, delivered a powerful message:
“We are living in an era where a child can be in danger not just on the street, but also from the safety of their home—through a screen. Parents and guardians must wake up to the reality that the internet is both a tool and a threat. We must teach our children to use it responsibly, but more importantly, we must be present in their digital lives. Don’t wait until something happens. Prevention starts with conversation, supervision, and love.”
She called for greater awareness around online safety, and urged both government and caregivers to ensure that every child is protected in all environments—virtual and physical.
Consolation East Africa (CEA) was honored to be among the few civil society partners serving on the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the event, led by the Directorate of Children Services. CEA’s involvement reflects its deep commitment to child protection and its collaborative role in shaping effective, community-based responses to child vulnerability. Alongside other organizations such as HAART Kenya and the Koinonia Community, CEA joined the Ngong Church commemoration in solidarity with families of missing children, advocating for preventive action and timely intervention. As Kenya marked this solemn day, the message was clear: protecting children is a shared duty that requires coordinated, compassionate, and sustained efforts from all sectors of society.
