KSEEEP, the Kenya Social Education Economic Empowerment Programme, is a community based organisation in the Huruma/Kimamaiko district of Mathare slum, Nairobi. It was founded on 26 April 2010 by inhabitants of the slum who wished to deal with some of the social ills of their area and change the environment in which they had grown up. Their particular concern is youth and the crime, prostitution and drug-taking which prevail so easily in their lives.
The key problems they identified were:
- inability to pay school fees, leading to poor education and continuing poverty
- social irresponsibility – drug addicts, prostitution and crime
- lack of vocational training for those who cannot afford secondary education
The main objective of the programme is to engage the youth in social activities in order to reduce the free time used in taking drugs and engaging in other anti-social activities. This also helps to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduces crime generally in society.
Activities so far include:
- SPORTS ACADEMY – football and volleyball
- CULTURAL ACTIVITIES – traditional dancing
- ARTS AND CRAFTS
- HIV/AIDS SEMINARS
- REHABILITATING criminals, prostitutes and drug addicts
- TRAINING and equipping the young leaders in society
- EMPOWERING the youth into entrepreneurship (micro-finance)
KSEEEP is also involved in or has plans to be involved in:
- environmental preservation activities
- supporting a local children’s home (orphans)
- a home for the aged
- voluntary work in hospitals
- helping bright and needy children in schools
- garbage collection and recycling
So far KSEEEP has recruited 205 youths so far who are involved in:
- Football academy (60 youths under 14 years)
- Volleyball (25 youths age 9-16 years)
- Cultural dance (30 youths age 14-20 years)
- Acrobatics (20 youths age 12-16 years)
- Hip-Hop dancing (20 youths age 16-18 years)
- Garbage collection (20 youths age 18-22 years)
- Arts and crafts (30 youths age 18-26 years) (Zakkale Creations)
Zakkale Creations is the workshop which supplies handmade jewellery to Zuri Design and Shared Earth in the UK. It also makes model vehicles from recycled bottle tops (part of the garbage collection/recycling project).
KSEEEP Board members are as follows:
- Francis Kinyanjui (Chairman/Microfinance)
- Pauline Wamaitha (Vice-Chair/Rehabilitatiion)
- John Mucheru (Treasurer/Arts and Crafts/Environment)
- Martha Nduta (Secretary/HIV/AIDS seminars)
- Martha Kimari (Assistant secretary/Education)
- Antony Kimani (Organisation co-ordinator)
- Bakari Juma (Football co-ordinator)
- Anne Nyambura (Dance co-ordinator)
- Damaris Wanjiku (Volleyball co-ordinator)
- Naomi Njoki (Co-ordinator of childrens home)
- Ruth Mumbi (Rehabilitator of street girls)
- Gachehe Gacheke (Co-ordinator of social justice)
- Milton Obote (Football coach/crime rehabilitator)
Funding for KSEEEP’s activities is from members’ donations and other well-wishers.
The Walk against Crime initiative is specifically geared towards the youth involved in the Dance Academy. However if enough funds can be raised, these will be used to benefit KSEEEP as a whole. Milton Obote (who is also manager of the Zakkale Creations jewellery workshop) and John Mucheru (co-Founder and Treasurer of KSEEEP) will participate in the walk from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in spring 2013, giving talks to interested audiences about their work and experiences along the way.
KSEEEP would love to hear from schools or tourist groups who would like a tour of the project. This could include, for instance, visits to the jewellery workshop, children’s home and football field, a performance by the dancers, and a short walk around the neighbourhood to meet people, see how they live and hear some of their stories. If you are interested, please contact John Mucheru at jonkoo2002@yahoo.com.
