Project Beneficiary
Kuwinda Community Karen
Project Start
Jan 2016
Objective
To undertake a 1-3 year literacy support and economic empowerment project
Scope
The project has four key following components:
- Library – Library Improvements, Book Donations, Electricity. Connection.
- Nursery School – Nursery School Improvement, Book Donations.
- Children’s Reading – Identify promising students through monthly reading camps. Seek education support for those identified as far as is possible
- Economic Empowerment – Engage the youth in a trash-to-cash project that is both a refuse collection, management, recycling and hopefully resale. Pay-to-use waterless toilets are also being explored.
Background
Kuwinda is a community of low income households here in Nairobi, Kenya. Some call it a slum. 300 households, the elderly right though to young children. Imagine living in house that can barely fit a queen size bed, and living on less than UN measure of $1.25 a day (Kes 125/-). Well that is Kuwinda! 4 to 7 members per household who live in cramped quarters. But that doesn’t faze the brave hearts of Kuwinda. The youth led by young Michael Mugo mobilize twice a week to clean the open channel drains, collect garbage and provide other community services like manning the humble library. Even though the outcome is still far from perfect, through Michael’s leadership the community is experiencing a cleaner environment and lower levels of uncollected garbage. Michael and his team of young volunteers have also dug three pit latrines.
In August 2015, the Rotary Club of Karen initiated the formalization of Kuwinda as a RCC (Rotary Community Corp). Think of a RCC as a mini-Rotary club. Through this formalization, Rotary has an opportunity to extend further support to the community. In September, Rotary Club of Karen joined the effort, and donated cleaning equipment, garbage collection bags, rubber boots, rubber gloves. And yet we can do so much more. With such few latrines serving both adults and children, it is only humane that separate, size appropriate, facilities are provided for the children. But more than just donating, it is important we give a gift that keeps giving. The youth are vibrant, compassionate and determined. They do so much with so little. And yet, educated but employed, educated but without income generating opportunities. And yes we are knocking our heads on the wall…how do we turn this around?
All work and no play will make Kuwinda youth, bored and bitter! So we have added the soccer flavor. We have identified a local school, a university and a residential association who are willing to be part of the Kuwinda story through soccer. We kick off in October, will you be there? Perhaps one day, Kuwinda too can participate in more formal tournaments and win accolades. Dream big, start small! That is where the trash-to-cash initiative comes in. What about the little ones. Yes Rotary Karen in partnership with Longhorn publishers donated books worth Ksh150,000. Who reads to them? Is it enough to give them books? Who will inspire in them the joy of storytelling, reading, learning and discovering? Yes indeed, there is so much more we can do. Do you have a Saturday morning to spare? Come let’s read to the kids. Let’s light their library and read to them, read with them! We will work together with them to identify, support and initiate income earning initiatives and small businesses. Perhaps even convert their garbage into money. So it is not just about restoring the dignity of habitation, but also the dignity of productivity.