majimazuri.org

It's not a spelling mistake. This is a story about a storey that means a world of difference. From just a handful of children, Headstart school has now grown to an admission of over 200 students, who not only rely on the school for education, but also for a meal.

The school, which is located in the heart of Mathare Valley is loved by the community, and this mainly led to the challenge of space, whereby there were not enough space for the number of children whose parents expressed interest in having their students study at the school.

We are very grateful to the Younger family for coming to Headstart’s school aid, this family pulled together during their visit to Kenya and promised to raise funds to cater for the expansion of the school.

During the December Holidays, construction commenced and the school now has a new top storey that has literally opened doors of hope to the children of Mathare Valley.

Africa ... Africa will never leave you. Ours might be the most misunderstood continent - much of the reporting is erroneous, hyped, seen through the eyes of a newcomer, even if there is AIDS, poverty, hunger, there is also hope, progress, and lovable people who know the true meaning of home.

This past month, the Maji Mazuri Teenz group sought out the truths that our continent holds, and they did this by touring the National Museums of Kenya. The children happily hopped onto the bus, looking for a day of fun learning.

The Museum is currently celebrating a heritage of century management, and the children who had been looking forward to that trip for a long time. The children got to learn of the different cultures that our country holds dear and also see artifacts, animals, and the various aspects of human history. The museum which recently got a facelift, brings history to life in a way that nothing else could. The new features inclusive of the botanical gardens and the children’s section that has the young researcher’s club, makes it even more educative for the children.

This trip to the museum has motivated the students and put a special emphasis on the importance of history, because as the famous saying quotes “ Not only know thyself. Know where you have been. Know where you are going. Know the place of 'all knowing'. Know the present moment." , we can only fully understand ourselves when we know our history.

Reaching out to teens in Mathare valley through drama and music

Located in Mathare valley, Maji Mazuri Headstart School whose student population is over 200, has over 35 children who are in their teenage, as well as over 20 others who are approaching that age. Having come from a community that is constantly plagued by many vices, a need was identified to create a teens program where the children can identify, develop and nurture their talents.

The teens meet every Saturday between 2 and 4pm and engage in activities mainly drama, poetry recitals, dancing, painting among other activities.  The program also involves guest speakers who are role models in society, some of them being youth members from the Mathare Maji Mazuri youth group.

One of the visions of the teen’s group members is to join the Maji Mazuri youth group once they turn age 18. This is part of the Maji Mazuri’s plan in terms of the talent program where children’s talents are identified at an early age and nurtured.

The transformation that these children have had is incredible. From shy students they have over the years turned into spokespersons for the school and show no hesitation to have presentations in front of an audience and entertain as well as inform during school occasions such as parents days.

They are also using the talent program to voice the fears and challenges that they face, and to also inform their peers of the dangers of vices such as peer pressure, drug abuse, HIV & AIDS. In the last parents’ day that the school had, the teens had powerful presentations which left the parents impressed and at the same time glad that their children are getting much much more than the regular school education.

View photos related to this story at: http://www.majimazuri.org/photos/65-majimazuri-team/album?albumid=8

Agnes Wacuka is one of the brilliant entrepreneurs in the big Nairobi Muthurwa hawkers market. Her entrepreneurial journey was not easy and short as many may think. When I visited Agnes at her business place in Muthurwa hawkers market she was much overwhelmed to share her story with me.

In the story she clearly proves that nothing is impossible with determination, will and persistence. In 2006 Agnes was working in Dandora Catholic church as a cleaner and received little allowance for her service. This allowance was very little to meet her basic needs and those of her child.

Life responsibilities kept adding pressure on her shoulders, making her think of starting a small business but where to get the capital was the big question which remained unanswered. In an attempt to find solution to her problem she decided to approach the church social worker and share her problem with him as the wise says a problem said is a problem half solved. By doing so little did she know that her prayers were about to be answered. The social worker was happy with Agnes decision and told her about Maji Mazuri Mavuno micro finance project whose vision is to empower the community members by extending loans for initiating or expanding their businesses.

Agnes was very happy to hear about Mavuno and expressed her interest to join the project.  The social worker introduced her to the project officials who welcomed her warmly and helped her join a 5 member group who were to act as guarantors for her loans. After getting her fist loan of KSH 3,000 she invested the money in buying second hand clothes for hawking which was a forward step towards realization of her dream that one day she will be a brilliant entrepreneur. She hawked the clothes within Huruma, Mathare and Dandora. This business was somehow difficult for her as a lady but had determination that one day she will own a permanent business premises.

In few months she was through with repaying the first loan and acquired a second loan of KSH6, 000. With this money she expanded her business and now moved to the Nairobi city streets as a stationed hawker. It didn’t take longer before the city council officials started to harass them. The government had build a big hawkers market and wanted to relocate all the hawkers to the city in an attempt to clear the streets and keep the city clean. This was a big shake up in her business but she did not give up.

After displacement to Muthurwa Agnes was lucky to secure a stall number 2F which gave her the opportunity to expand her business without fear since the stall was secure and permanent. In the new business place her business picked off well with increased sales which led to increased savings. This also enable her repay her loan without any problem and acquire the 3rd phase loan of KSH 10,000.

With this amount and her saving she changed her business from 2nd hand clothes to new clothes .This translated to more sales which saw her business grow bigger and bigger. Agnes is now a happy mother/entrepreneur who only beliefs that the sky is the limit. Through her business she is able to meet her basic needs, pay school fees for her child, support her family, live a descent life and afford better health care something which was a dream 4years ago.

Below is Agnes Wacuka at her business premise in Muthurwa hawkers market.

Her happiness cannot be wiped off her face when she talks about Mavuno and the work it is doing in empowering the community economically for the better. Her final words were and I quote “Bravo Mavuno and Maji Mazuri as a whole for the wonderful job you are doing in lives of many”.

Maji Mazuri children centre is established in Kasarani a suburb of Nairobi. The centre hosts children who are either mentally/physically challenged and HIV positive orphans. The organization’s mission is to prepare, empower and rehabilitate the children for a better, more fulfilling future. The word “Maji Mazuri” may mean differently for many. To some it may simply mean clean water but for many it means hope and inspiration. This can be seen in the bright faces of the children in the centre which can further be confirmed in their inspiring life stories. Being in Maji Mazuri has changed their life for the better as they can now proudly proof that disability is not inability. For instance John Kavue is one of the happiest boy in the centre whose life has completely changed by being in Maji Mazuri.

John Kavue is a 5th born in a family of six siblings. He was born without any disability. After 2 years his mother realized that he was growing a lab. She took him to Nyeri district hospital where he was put on therapy session for one year. Due to financial constraints he stopped attending the therapy sessions.

In the year 2008 he was admitted in kasarani children centre where during the pre-admission medical assessment he was diagnosed with:

•    Reduced muscle bulk and muscle strength.
•    Spasticity of lower limbs more evident and is lesser on the upper limps.
•    Jiggers’ infestation on both legs and fingers of both upper limbs are mildly affected.
•    Normal spinal alignment and has a slight postural curve on a sitting position.
•    Stiffness on both ankle joints.
•    Sitting in a w-position.

Immediately after admission in the centre he was put on therapy sessions. The therapists focused first on training him in coordinating, placing of feet, standing position and introduced him to toileting skills. Through regular exercises he seemed to respond well and within a period of 4 moths the boy was able to stand with a walking aid and move around freely. He was also able to do toileting well with minimal help.

After this achievement the therapists now focused on training him on hand control of the upper extremities, how to walk without the walking aid but with the help of still bars like grills. The response was very nice as after one month he was able to walk quickly using still bars and also feed himself properly something which he couldn’t when he was admitted in the centre.

Right now he can walk freely around the centre premises by the grills, walk up stairs, feed himself properly, do toileting well, play with the other children freely and also communicate clearly to others. All this has been achieved through the cooperation, hard work and dedication of the entire Maji Mazuri centre fraternity.

BRAVO MAJI MAZURI for giving light and hope in the lives of the disadvantaged.

The Mavuno Youth Maji Mazuri Self Help Group has been started under the aegis of the older Mavuno Maji Mazuri Self Help Group.  Its mission is to support youths who are between the ages of 18 and 30 years old and are interested in beginning their own businesses.

This initiative began a while back by the Mathare Maji Mazuri Youth Group, but has now come under Maji Mazuri Mavuno, which will provide a wider reach to the youth and also allow for better management under an experienced and knowledgeable official.  They will be carrying out the training, disbursement and monitoring and evaluating of the businesses of the individual who will join this group.

The outfit has done great in reaching its vision, which is to empower the endowed in the Mathare community and environ to take charge of their needs financially and socially. For instance Thomas Kioko, one of its members, has been able to expand his gum pole and rafters business through the loan extensions. The business is now the source of income for him and his family.

When I visited him at his business place in Kariokor, he couldn’t hide the happiness from his face for what Mavuno Maji Mazuri has done. This was confirmed in his narration about his business journey from Mathare Kosovo to Kariokor.  In his narration, he recalls his life in Mathare Kosovo back in 2007, where he had a small business. The returns of the business didn’t enable him to provide for the basic needs for his family and to pay his house rent, and thus made him live a poor and hopeless life. In his struggles, he constantly thought of expanding his business, but he did not know where he could get the money.

In 2008, he was introduced to Mavuno by an older member and qualified for the first loan of KSH 5,000. Though a small amount, this boost, as he explains it, took him miles ahead in realizing his dream; that one day he will not only be a retailer, but also a distributor. He invested the entire amount in acquiring more stock and even introduced new items in the stock. This made his business place in Kosovo too small for the expanded stock so he had to shift to Kariokor. This move also enabled him to reach many more customers.  The new place the business grew alongside his customer base and this enabled him to repay the first loan without problems.  Hence, he qualified for a second loan of KSH 10,000.

He invested all that money in further expanding his business, which led to increased returns, even enabling him to start saving. With the entrepreneurial skills acquired during the training seminars given by Mavuno officials, he has been able to manage his business properly and handle all the challenges wisely. Since then, his business grew bigger and bigger and he was able to set up new sub branches.  For instance, he recently opened a new branch in Ngara.

Thomas, a father of one, can now sustain his family, pay house rent for a descent house, afford better health care for him and his family and even support his parents through his business. Recently, he bought a piece of land from his savings, where he hopes to resettle his family very soon.  In his conclusion, he notes that all this has been achieved through the continued support from Mavuno in their various services: business loan extensions, training seminars and other social support. Bravo Maji Mazuri!