majimazuri.org

 As young boys growing up in mathare slums they dreamed of becoming owners of a design company where they could create their own designs . It has taken them two years of training and experimentation to reach their goal, as they worked their way from nothing to something.

Today, Xposs designs is a registered company and a partnership of thee maji mazuri youth group members, who include Victor Kebane, Joseph Karani and Jackson Muyeki.

When did they first know they wanted to have a company?

When an opportunity come to maji mazuri to train young people in mathare on web designing they new this was their chance. They had never touched a computer before. This was their very first time...

I recall when they come to maji mazuri office for the interview different times. Luckily they all qualified to start the course along with other youth. It did not take them a lot of time to get the basic computer skills and knowledge. In this particular level they spent two months before they graduated.

After graduating from the first level they moved to the second level which is called course 2 & 3 in another centre away from maji mazuri training centre, where they were trained on how to use and make software for six months. In this stage they nearly gave up with the training because of ups and downs that happened on the way. There were days they didnt have bus fare, lunch and money to pay their fees.

The days were long. There were times they wondered when they would be able to move to the final stage. But whenever they got fed up, they would remember why they chose the web designing course in the first place: this made them tough, and today they are able to empathize with their workers.

After moving to the final level (media lab) it took them another six month and they graduated with a diploma in web designing. One of them was chosen the best overall. From here they all got internships in different web design companies.

After being introduced in the world job market they come together and thought of starting their own design company. Their first job was to design IDs for youth group members which was done very well, now they are working together as a company and the little they get they do something in the community.

This report explains how the above said students are doing or how they are giving back to the community after training.

1. Jane Wambui

She was trained in Web design at least two years ago. Currently she is employed at Kenya Web. She is a member of Maji Mazuri Alumni group consisting of youths beyond 22 years of age. This group is involved in various activities just to mention Community Service and they are mentors of the lower Youth Groups. Based on her membership to this group, maturity and life skills, she is a role model to many young people in the community. It is through such people that Maji Mazuri as an organization enjoys positive public image.

2. Zachary Ouma

He was trained in Web design at least two years ago. Currently he is employed. He is a member of the Alumni group. He is a mentor to the youths in the lower youth groups within the organization.

3. Wycliffe Wesonga

He joined Nairobits on June this year for the Reproduction Health course offered by World Starts with me. Because of the valuable information he acquired through this course, he is now able to facilitate on the same to different target groups in the community. He is a teacher at St. James Primary and feeding programme and he is playing a big role to educate the children on different issues related to reproduction just to mention biological changes that occur in different stages of growth. He served as the secretary of the youth group and he is imparting a lot of reproduction health information to the community.

4. Caroline Mbulwa Mwaniki

She joined Nairobits for the ‘World starts with me’ Reproduction Health Course on June 2009. This course equipped her with important information because she is now a perfect facilitator in reproduction health not just to the youth group but also to the wider community. She also joined the Web design course on 13^th August 2009. She completed course 1 on 11^th September 2009 and she joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing, she was the best student overall in Nairobits she is now working with a big company in ICT ( Nai lab ). She also joined the Multi Media System Group within Maji Mazuri which   involves itself in production of movies within Mathare slums. She is able to do excellent work within the community in the production of movies mainly because of the knowledge she has acquired through this course. She is able to use computers and help the youth group when there is a need to process information. Based on her portrayed aggressiveness and creativity, she is one person who stands to benefit from this initiative.

5. Maureen Akinyi

She joined Nairobits 2 year ago for the web design course. Currently she is working with Scan Group company. She has so far designed a blog for the Mathare Maji Mazuri Youth group and she also updates current information. She joined the ‘World starts with me’ Reproduction health course in June 2009. With her knowledge in reproduction health, she is in a position to facilitate on the same and give important information to the youths in the community. She also helps the youth group in processing information using the computers if need arise. She has been very instrumental in researching for information using internet which is vital for the group especially for the exchange programme activity where different groups come together to share information on a certain subject or issues.

6. Francis Makanda

He joined Nairobits for the Web design course 2 year ago and he is currently working as a free lancer . He worked with Maureen to design the Youth group blog. He also joined the Multi Media System Group within Maji Mazuri which   involves itself in production of movies within Mathare slums. He is able to do excellent work with the community in the production of these movies mainly because of the knowledge he has acquired through this course. Based on his exposure at Nairobits, he was very mature and he is selected by members of the community as a community leader. He is also a good peer counselor and he has been offering counseling services young people especially in the group.

7. Jackson Muyeki

He joined Nairobits for the ‘World starts with me’ Reproduction Health Course on June 2009. This course equipped him with important information because he is now a perfect facilitator in reproduction health not just to the youth group but also to the community. he also joined the Web design course on 13^th August 2009. he completed course 1 on 11^th September 2009 then he joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing, he is now working with a big company in ICT ( I solf ). he also joined the Multi Media System Group within Maji Mazuri which   involves itself in production of movies and editing within Mathare slums. he is able to do excellent work within the community in the production of movies and editing mainly because of the knowledge he has acquired through this course. he is able to use computers and help the youth group when there is a need to process information. Based on her portrayed aggressiveness and creativity, he is one person who stands to benefit from this initiative.

8. Joseph Karani

He joined Nairobits through maji mazuri to pursue Web design course on 13^th August 2010. He completed course 1 on 11^th September 2010 and he joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing, He become the best student overall in Nairobits He is now working with a big company in ICT (Intrepid company). He is member of the youth group and hold a position as the group treasurer. He is able to do excellent work within the group and the community mainly because of the knowledge He has acquired through this course. He is able to use computers and help the youth group when there is a need to process information. Based on his portrayed aggressiveness and creativity.

9. Charity Kariuki

She joined Nairobits for the Web design course on 13^th August 2010. She completed course 1 on 11^th September 2010 and joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing She is currently in an internship with an NGO in kerugoya She is a member of youth group and hold a position of assistance chair person She also a member of multimedia She is one person who is very devoted in group activity.

10. Ken Kioli

He joined Nairobits through maji mazuri to pursue Web design course on 13^th August 2010. He completed course 1 on 11^th September 2010 and he joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing, He become the best student in creativity and design in Nairobits He is now working with a big company in ICT. He is member of the youth group and hold a position as the group drama leader and poetry . He is able to do excellent work within the group and the community mainly because of the knowledge He has acquired. He is able to use computers and coming up with creative things He help the youth group when there is a need to process information. Based on his portrayed aggressiveness and creativity.

11. Linder Muthoni

She joined Nairobits for the Web design course on 13^th August 2010. She completed course 1 on 11^th September 2010 and joined course 2 and 3 and later graduated with a diploma in web designing She is currently in an internship with an ICT company She is a member of Maji Mazuri youth group.

Toll free helpline, call us on 0800720033 - that’s how Reverend Wangai Gachoka, the National Campaign against Drugs Abuse (NACADA) representative started the workshop that was held in Mathare valley on 3^rd September 2011.

This workshop brought together staff from all Maji Mazuri projects, with the aim of discussing the damage that drugs has caused in our societies and what we can do to stop it.

A few weeks ago, women from a province in Kenya took to the streets to demonstrate and ask for help, because alcohol was killing their men, at a very scaring rate. The negative impact that drug abuse and addiction has had on our society leaves no doubt that i, we, you, need to do something about it.

It is with this in mind that Maji Mazuri planned this workshop.

The sessions by Rev. Gachoka opened our eyes wider to the reality that we have been facing in our programs, and the message that rang in my mind most is, there is help, reach out and get help.

The Reverend also pointed out the changing trends especially in the dating world where drinks are spiked, and on the streets, in the buses where handkerchiefs containing a lethal substance are rubbed on people’s faces and they pass out and are taken advantage of and most of all, the well known phenomenon, do not accept any food or drink from a stranger, and yet the reminder that is now constant, do not leave your drink unattended.

At the end of the day, as the sun set on Mathare valley, i remember looking at every member of staff as they left to go back to their respective projects and i thought, i am glad we are doing is, i am glad Maji Mazuri is making this information available and we are now able to reach out better.

One such member is Caroline Mbulwa. She joined the Maji Mazuri youth group three years ago.

Caroline comes from the Mathare Valley slum and she is the first born in a family of four, raised by a single parent.

Having encountered many problems in her education due to lack of funds Caro did not loose hope nor did she loose her ambitions.

Caro helped her mum working as a hawker until late at night to get daily bread and to enable her go to school. Caro joined Maji Mazuri youth group three years ago and no one knew that that was the turning point in her life. The ideas and knowledge she got during the activities in youth group, such as counceling, workshops and exchange programmes, empowered her.

Now she is seen as the role model in Mathare. She joined the ICT youth training center where she was trained in ICT and web design, and Caro became the top student in every category.

After one year Caroline graduated and got a diploma in web design as the top student among 60 students in Nairobits. Caro is now working in a big company of web design in Kenya and she was able to make this start in her career thanks to Maji Mazuri and Nairobits.