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Host rating
100 %
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14 Apr 2024
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Description
Mambo, awesome traveller,
My name is Washington and I am an environmentalist and published author. I also chair a youth led organization made up of innovative and talented members joining together through youth empowerment, internet access, digital literacy skills 🖱️ (including graphic design and coding training). But fundamentally focused on environmental conservation, caring about health, hygiene and sanitation.
Our youths are mainly raised and brought up in the informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. These areas are marred with drastic challenges i.e poverty, drug abuse, prostitution, criminal activities, pollution and poor waste management etc.
Against all odds, we have stood steadfast in promoting positive change through capacity building, equipping the community members with knowledge and skills to be the drivers of positive change in order to raise their livelihoods and wellbeing. The general and long-term goal of the Riverside Community Resource Centre and Library is to create awareness and action on capacity building by advocacy and participation of the target population themselves through activities and practices that showcase the benefits of sound and sustainable usage of the resources.
The Centre by the river offers youth friendly services and contribute to their socio-economic development. The model recognizes that youth engagement and empowerment through training and capacity development is pertinent to addressing the challenges faced by young people such as employability. The Centre provide skills training that contribute towards building a pool of skilled and employable young labour force.
Some of the main areas of focus include programs in arts, waste management employment generation, entrepreneurship, health services, ICT and environmental education.
Also promoting health spaces and clean air through our riverside park and kids playground where we have our tree planting project. As part of our campaign helping with access to hygiene is important, our Community Resource Centre provides girls with sanitary towels.
However we are faced with challenges in terms of inadequate resources; such as ICT equipment and books which kids can enjoy.
We welcome creative business leaders, environmental activists, landscape planners, public artists, building renovators, social media and tech education enthusiasts, to bring passion and ideas, to make real change, and help drive our community development project to new heights.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
you will be able to enjoy the cultural diversity in Nairobi city, connect with different communities, share ideas and bring about a positive impact to the community members.
Help
We are in need of volunteers and professional personnel to help us in resource mobilization and community capacity building.
1- LIBRARY & COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE
It started as a riverfront library -still under construction- with an environmental focus in a more marginalised side of town. We've provided mentorship and sanitary towels for girls. We also use it as a space to give business-focused trainings to our members.
On the long term we want to create a safe environment for kids to come after school to hang out, read, study and have fun, however we currently need to fundraise more resources as we currently have a lack of adequate young children's novels.
2- RIVERSIDE SPACE (Public Gardening)
If you have a background in botany, environmental science or landscape planning help us at our tree nursery as we try to transform and clean up our riverside next to the library, which was previously used as a waste dumping ground before we cleaned it up. There are lots of opportunities for you to bring your design and creative skills to give us ideas on how else we can act, to show the local community that something can be done about the situation and that positive change is in our hands.
3- WASTE MANAGEMENT (Eco Biz)
Currently we are in the middle of a green entrepreneurship project, aiming to set up a large recycling facility at a major local Christian institution (which includes one church, a school, a college and health centre) by installing recycling bins in all the classrooms and a large recycling cage on the outside. Also promoting kids who bring recyclable trash from home, with engaged classes winning prizes for their contributions.
Our grant budget was recently approved (in February 2024) so the work will kick off next month.
4- A WALL IS A CANVAS (Brainstorming Phase)
If you have artistic skills we welcome you to our project as there is ample opportunity to teach kids arts and give us ideas for a public art and murals painting project.
5- CIRCULARITY TECH HUB (Social Enterprise)
We provide low cost educational training to local youths as part of our community-focused social enterprise. We recently opened our first local web café (without the coffee), which we plan to use a space for our members to teach courses in graphic design, coding and digital literacy. We hope to eventually offer scholarships to kids from lower income background to join trainings and enter capacity building pathways.
We hope to open a second in another part of Babadogo to provide opportunities to more local youths. Also to be used a space to teach our environmentalist circular-economy values. If you feel you have the drive to do so, if you plan ahead, come and teach a technology and digital related skills.
6- ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (Activism, Networking + visits to the United Nations)
At both ends of the ladder I try to regularly attend discussions and meetings about the waste management situation in Nairobi, representing the situation on the Mathare River. On one hand, interested to hear how the situation is being dealt with in more affluent neighborhoods, seeing what the government- private sector partnerships are planning (for example, a new waste management system is being devised). But also joining activist groups which gather in the slums who are usually the ones most directly affected by the current crisis.
If you are interested in how the situation is being confronted at the GLOBAL level, if you register early, you can join us to represent at one of the regular environmental council, forums/conference at the United Nations Environmental Program HQ. Recently a volunteer attended a two day congress.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Swahili (Kiswahili): Fluent
Luo: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
Understanding diverse language skills helps in improving my communication skills and confidence. I am always ready to learn.
Accommodation
You will be able to stay our flat, eat delicious Kenyan food, relax in cool environment in Nairobi Kenya. The area is secure.
What else ...
you will be able to visit different sites, museums, shopping malls, enjoy awesome company and meet lovely people
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Our youth led initiative explores various social media platforms to amplify our daily work towards community development. These are facebook, twitter, linked in, email etc.
Space for parking camper vans
We have an ample and secure parking space.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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