Imagine living here, in the Mathare Valley slum district of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya in East Africa. Imagine living in a tiny hut made of cardboard and scrap metal without clean water, without a toilet, without electricity. Sewage in the alley ways, garbage everywhere, no clinic, no public schools . . . .
This is where Maji Mazuri (which means ‘clean water’ in Swahili) has been working for the past 20 years establishing a micro business loan program, a head start school, a program for young teens and a youth program. This is where, every day, we serve hundreds of children, youth and adults who are trying to escape from poverty, disease and crime.
And this where we are now poised to build a 30,000 square foot community center on 5 floors to bring together all these programs – and more – under one, safe and secure roof. You can be a key player to help make this happen.
We need $2 million to complete the project and establish an endowment fund to maintain the facility in the years to come. We have already raised over $200,000. The land is bought and the architectural plans have been drawn up.
You have a unique opportunity to help make this happen; to prove that, when Americans and others invest in well thought through, locally directed, development projects, there is a huge return in terms of economic, social and spiritual progress.
Please send your checks (payable to Maji Mazuri USA) to Maji Mazuri, USA at 4783 Summerset Lane, Atlanta, Georgia 30338, or you can use the PayPal link on this site (right-hand column).
More about the new center . . . .
We have acquired the land to build the community center, right in the slum, but with vital frontage on the main road that skirts it. This means that secure access to the building will be available day and night.
This 30,000 square foot facility will house all of our existing programs – the Head Start school, with places for 350 children, the micro-business loan program, the Teens program and the youth Group – plus a new clinic, a community hall, a library, and an Internet café. 2 floors will provide modern, spacious classrooms, and we will have a large and secure playground on the roof. There will be an elevator for the disabled children, solar panels to generate electricity and a rain water harvesting system.
This is what Wanjiku Kironyo, Maji Mazuri’s Founder and Director, says about the new center:
“The new Head Start school will have a capacity for over 350 children – in a safe and purpose-built environment. It will also have a large playground on the roof. Our first school, which was really just a shanty structure, was burnt down in riots in November 2006. Our present school, which we rent in Mathare Valley, is far too small for the 168 children that we care for right now.”
The present Head Start school is very crowded . . .
“This will be the first multi-purpose facility in the Mathare Valley slum. It will be a wonderful symbol of hope for the half million people living all around it. It will play a key role in helping literally thousands of children, young people and adults change their lives for the better.”
Wanjiku is being modest when she describes the impact of the new community center. The center can serve as a model for others in Kenya, in the rest of Africa, and indeed, throughout the Third World.
Please take advantage of this unique opportunity to prove that, when Americans and others invest in well thought through, locally directed, development projects, there is a huge return in terms of economic, social and spiritual progress.
You can mail checks made out to Maji Mazuri USA, at 4783 Summerset Lane, Atlanta, Georgia 30338, or you can use the PayPal link right here on this web site. All donations are tax deductible in the USA – and 100% of you gift goes to Kenya. We make no charges for administration or fundraising!
