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Background
The Anajali Community Centre opened its doors in the year 2000 with the aim of reaching the children and parents of the unattended to Children of the Kibera slums. The Community Centre is located in Quarry Village, Bomas Sub-location of Kibera Division. At the inception the community centre was seeking to achieve the following objectives:
a) To offer quality education to children from underprivileged families.
b) To share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the community through the children.
c) To empower the underprivileged families economically by encouraging savings through the Anajali Loans and Savings Scheme.
d) To sensitize the community on HIV/AIDS.
To date the centre has the following four main projects.
a) Anajali School.
b) Loan and Saving Scheme
c) Sunday Service
d) Health
Anajali School
The school was started mainly to offer basic quality education to the unattended to school – going- age children of Kibera slum. The school offers 8-4-4 system of education with Christian teachings. Presently, the student population is 204 boys and girls ages between 3 to 16 years. Majority of the students are orphans or come from single parent families.
The centre had realized that hunger is one of the pressing challenges facing the students. It was revealed by increasing absenteeism, absent mindedness during class sessions, and continuous complains of hunger to the teachers. After a follow-up they learned that most of the students were having only one meal a day and a good number without any meal at all. These findings necessitated a feeding programme to provide at least one balanced meal a day. In addition the orphans are provided with exercise books, and some accommodated.
Anajali Loan And Saving Scheme
The centre was begun to serve the economically underprivileged families of the Kibera slums. They realized that reaching the children alone by providing education was not sufficient. There was need to reach the parents not just spiritually but also economically. Having this in mind a loan and savings scheme was started targeting the parents, guardians and centre’s members of staff.
The scheme aims at cultivating a saving culture among the members. Every member is required to save Kenya Shillings 400 monthly which can be paid weekly, bi weekly or monthly installments. Depending on the availability of money members with viable small business proposals can apply for a business loan. The members meet once in a month pray and discuss relevant matters concerning the scheme.
Spiritual Nourishment
The centre also aims at sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the entire community. They do offer Sunday school service to the children on Sunday morning between 9 and 10am. There is Bible Study classes and Sunday service 10am to 1pm every Sunday. The church service is managed by an elected church council from the community.
Health Outreach
The centre has been collaborating with other Community Based Organizations to hold seminars and workshops to sensitize the community about HIV/AIDS. With the support of IMCU every year they hold a medical camp at centre mainly to examine the children and administer the recommended medication. In addition the Nairobi City Council carries out their a deworming exercise every fourth months or quarterly.
Staff
The centre daily operation depends on volunteers who are given little allowance depending on the availability. All the members of the staff are born again Christians who server the children in the centre as if they are serving the living God.
Future of Anajali Community Centre
The centre is facing financial challenges and presently depends on financial gifts from friends and well-wishers. This financial strategy is not sustainable and the following is the roadmap to sustainable.
a) To build permanent structures for the school to have an appealing face to the well-to-do in the neighboring Lang’ata estate.
b) The school has been performing very well in the Zonal exams and this year they will sit for their first national examinations. They are doing everything possible to excel in the forthcoming national examination so that the school can be known beyond the physical location.
c) Excellence in the national exams will attract the financially able students who can in return what they pay can be used to supplement the costs of the financially challenged students.
d) The savings and loan scheme will be registered under the Microfinance Act and commission experts to manage the fund.
Contact Information:
Mr. Wellingtone Nabwoba
Project Coordinator and Headmaster,
P.O.
Box 554 – 00517 Uhuru Gardens,
Nairobi.
Email: nabwoba@yahoo.com |
