Mattress Project
Currently the home has a number of very young children, many of whom still wet the bed at nighttime. The current mattresses are made of foam, and are deteriorating rapidly and need to be replaced immediately. We are currently looking for funding to replace each mattress, costing approximately 3,000 Kenyan shillings, $40 USD. In order to prevent the new mattress from deteriorating as well, we would like to purchase plastic covers for the mattress to be fitted under the regular sheets. These plastic covers are much like the ones found on hospital beds, and prevent the urine from soaking into the mattress.
We are currently looking to replace 60 mattresses. Since at the moment the mattresses do not have covers on them, they must be taken outside to dry every morning. This only exacerbates the problem, causing the already soiled mattresses to become dirty and often ripped. It is also problematic during the rainy seasons when the mattresses cannot be brought outside to dry instead remaining in the bedrooms. Here they continue to remain wet and also cause the rooms to smell very strongly of urine. By replacing the soiled mattresses with new ones and then providing the covers, they should last longer and not need to be put outside to dry. This in turns provides a safer and healthier environment for the young children, who are currently sleeping on soiled and ripped mattresses.
NewPlace International has already purchased replacement mattresses, along with fitted plastic sheets for the 6 youngest children of St. Pauls, but we are looking for fund the replacement of the rest of the home’s mattresses, approximately 60 in total.