Our Programs
Six ongoing programs, each shaped by what Mwiki residents told us they needed most. Every program has a linked field dispatch archive so you can see it in action.
Program 01
Youth Mentorship & Holiday Camps
During every school holiday, Camp Nuo runs a structured day-camp for children and teenagers who would otherwise spend the break unsupervised. Trained volunteer mentors lead sessions on life skills, goal-setting, basic career guidance and confidence-building, alongside sports and creative activities. Older teens are paired with a mentor for ongoing check-ins through the term.
The program exists because parents and teachers repeatedly told us that the long April, August and December breaks were when many Mwiki children were most at risk of idleness, petty crime exposure or falling behind academically.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Runs during April, August and December school holidays
- Open to children and teenagers in Mwiki and surrounding areas
- Led entirely by trained community volunteers
- Ongoing mentor check-ins continue through the school term
Program 02
Environmental Clean-Ups & Tree Planting
Every quarter, volunteers, local schools and area chiefs join a clean-up along the Kasarani river corridor and Mwiki's public spaces, clearing solid waste and illegal dumping sites. Each clean-up is paired with a short waste-sorting education session and a tree-planting activity to restore vegetation cover along the riverbank.
This program grew out of repeated flooding and drainage blockages linked to plastic waste in the river, raised as a priority concern at village barazas.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Quarterly clean-ups along the Kasarani river corridor
- Partnered with local schools and the area chief's office
- Waste-sorting education included at every session
- Ongoing tree-planting to restore riverbank vegetation
Program 03
Food Security & Household Support
Working with village elders and community health volunteers, we identify households facing acute food insecurity — often elderly residents living alone, families with a sick breadwinner, or households affected by sudden job loss. Where we can, we provide an emergency food basket; where the need is longer-term, we refer households to county and NGO safety-net programs.
Distribution lists are drawn up transparently with local elders, and follow-up visits check whether support reached the household as intended.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Households identified jointly with village elders
- Emergency food baskets for acute cases
- Referrals to county and NGO safety-net programs
- Follow-up visits confirm support was received
Program 04
Health & Sanitation Outreach
In partnership with Kasarani Sub-County community health volunteers, we host free health talks on maternal health, hygiene and common preventable illnesses, and support sanitation campaigns in areas with poor waste and water infrastructure. Outreach days often include referrals to nearby public health facilities for residents who need follow-up care.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Delivered with Sub-County community health volunteers
- Focus on maternal health, hygiene and prevention
- Referrals to nearby public health facilities
- Sanitation campaigns in underserved pockets of Mwiki
Program 05
Digital & Financial Literacy
Six-week evening classes teach basic computer skills, internet safety and mobile-money use to youth and small traders who need these skills for work but have had no formal training. Alongside this, we support women's table-banking groups with basic bookkeeping and savings-group facilitation, helping members build small, shared capital.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Six-week basic computer and mobile-money course
- Open to youth and small traders in Mwiki
- Support for women's table-banking savings groups
- Basic bookkeeping facilitation included
Program 06
School Support
We provide learning materials to children in need, run mentorship sessions in partnership with local primary and secondary schools, and refer eligible families to county bursary programs. The aim is simple: no Mwiki child should drop out of school for lack of basic materials or guidance on where to find help.
See related dispatches →At a glance
- Learning materials for children in need
- Mentorship in partnership with local schools
- Referrals to county bursary programs
- Focused on preventing avoidable school drop-out