Livelihood and Social Entrepreneurship Sub-grantees
TOP NOTCH EMPOWERMENT CENTER
Social entrepreneurship concept: Improving Sanitation while creating employment in Low income areas!
Introduction
Lack of good sanitation is one of the major challenges faced by most residents of Nairobi. Hence, it is even worse off in Nairobi informal settlements. It is estimated that over 60% of Nairobi residents live in the informal areas therefore are faced by the challenges of poor hygiene and sanitation. According to a resent baseline carried out by KIWASH, (97.7%) of the surveyed households in Nairobi County have access to improved drinking water source. Across the nine sub-counties (informal settlements) in Nairobi county most households have access to improved drinking water source. A third (32.4%) of the surveyed household in Nairobi County either use flush toilet or pit latrine. However, 24.1% of the surveyed household use pit latrine with slab. Nearly half (42.1%) the surveyed household in Kibera sub county use pit latrine with slab.
At Top Notch Empowerment Centre, we understand that good WASH practice mediates nutritional status through reduction of diarrheal diseases incidences; prevention of intestinal worm infection which if not prevented would cause poor nutrient absorption and also reduce the pathogen load observed in environments with poor WASH conditions. Poor WASH conditions undoubtedly affects the national status, thereby the capacity of an individual to harness his full life potential. It is on this background that we provide toilet cleaning services as mitigation to improving the status of WASH to achieve better economic, social and physical environment free of communicable diseases.
Toilet Cleaning
How clean a toilet can be is relative. From our experience, we have realized that most community members do not conceptualize the idea of a clean toilet because of their poor circumstances. However, we believe at TEC that “defecating in a clean toilet is dignifying and has nothing to do with poverty or wealth”. We therefore strive to provide high standard, professional toilet cleaning services to the communities.
We do this by first, training young people from the same communities to provide this important and unique service at a reasonable fee hence creating opportunity for employment while at the same time encouraging them to participate in sanitation. Secondly, we ensure that the youth are well facilitated with safety and protective gears to enable them do their job effectively and thirdly, we provide follow up and marketing support to trained youth. Remember, this is a job, so, we require a team that is committed and willing to do marketing and to clean toilets.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
U-Tena partnered with Top Notch Empowerment Center by training and empowering youths to start toilet cleaning business in low and high income neighborhood. Top Notch would trained youths on quality cleaning, customer relations, marketing, record keeping and others. This organization was supported to partner with the city county of Nairobi and other like-minded partners like Jhpiego Kenya to offer these youths cleaning jobs in their schools and organizations. Top Notch took a big pie of marketing for these youth’s services. Empowered youths now clean toilets in institutions like schools, churches, restaurants and residential plots in low income areas for a pay. This not only makes these youths earn a living but also reduces diarrhea related diseases.
Social entrepreneurship concept: Improving Sanitation while creating employment in Low income areas!
Introduction
Lack of good sanitation is one of the major challenges faced by most residents of Nairobi. Hence, it is even worse off in Nairobi informal settlements. It is estimated that over 60% of Nairobi residents live in the informal areas therefore are faced by the challenges of poor hygiene and sanitation. According to a resent baseline carried out by KIWASH, (97.7%) of the surveyed households in Nairobi County have access to improved drinking water source. Across the nine sub-counties (informal settlements) in Nairobi county most households have access to improved drinking water source. A third (32.4%) of the surveyed household in Nairobi County either use flush toilet or pit latrine. However, 24.1% of the surveyed household use pit latrine with slab. Nearly half (42.1%) the surveyed household in Kibera sub county use pit latrine with slab.
At Top Notch Empowerment Centre, we understand that good WASH practice mediates nutritional status through reduction of diarrheal diseases incidences; prevention of intestinal worm infection which if not prevented would cause poor nutrient absorption and also reduce the pathogen load observed in environments with poor WASH conditions. Poor WASH conditions undoubtedly affects the national status, thereby the capacity of an individual to harness his full life potential. It is on this background that we provide toilet cleaning services as mitigation to improving the status of WASH to achieve better economic, social and physical environment free of communicable diseases.
Toilet Cleaning
How clean a toilet can be is relative. From our experience, we have realized that most community members do not conceptualize the idea of a clean toilet because of their poor circumstances. However, we believe at TEC that “defecating in a clean toilet is dignifying and has nothing to do with poverty or wealth”. We therefore strive to provide high standard, professional toilet cleaning services to the communities.
We do this by first, training young people from the same communities to provide this important and unique service at a reasonable fee hence creating opportunity for employment while at the same time encouraging them to participate in sanitation. Secondly, we ensure that the youth are well facilitated with safety and protective gears to enable them do their job effectively and thirdly, we provide follow up and marketing support to trained youth. Remember, this is a job, so, we require a team that is committed and willing to do marketing and to clean toilets.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
U-Tena partnered with Top Notch Empowerment Center by training and empowering youths to start toilet cleaning business in low and high income neighborhood. Top Notch would trained youths on quality cleaning, customer relations, marketing, record keeping and others. This organization was supported to partner with the city county of Nairobi and other like-minded partners like Jhpiego Kenya to offer these youths cleaning jobs in their schools and organizations. Top Notch took a big pie of marketing for these youth’s services. Empowered youths now clean toilets in institutions like schools, churches, restaurants and residential plots in low income areas for a pay. This not only makes these youths earn a living but also reduces diarrhea related diseases.
HESHIMA DISAMBLED COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION
Heshima group for the Disabled started in year 2007 as a self-help group under the mentorship of Association for the Physically Disabled for Kenya (A.P.D.K.). Heshima Group is composed of people with disability and parents of children living with disability under the age of 18years. At the moment, the group has 52 members with active members being 32. From the year 2001 to 2004, Heshima operated on the basis of revolving funds from members (merry go around). However, from the year 2004, Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (A.P.D.K.) started a micro-finance unit of lending money to its members and Heshima Group was one of the beneficiaries.
The group was registered in 2007 and got sponsorship from Umande Trust, a non-profit organization which deals with issues of water and sanitation. Umande Trust helped construct a Bio-Centre with 8 toilets, 4 bathrooms and a bio-gas outlet which is used by neighbors to cook at an affordable fee. Umande Trust later started a water point, where the use of long horse pipe which supply water to the nearby houses instead of carrying the 20litres Jerri can was introduced. In total the group has 300 customers per day where they earn 800/= per day but that amount increase on Saturday and Sunday where the group can make between Kshs1, 300/= to Kshs1, 500/=
In the year 2011, Heshima Group partnered with Education Assessment Resource Center (E.A.R.C) in mobilizing and referring the children with disability for assessment and school placement as most of community had no information where to take their children with special needs. They later introduced the group to V.S.O. an N.G.O. that has a disability programme called Strengthening Citizen Participation in Governance of Education. V.S.O has been able to train our members and the community on issues pertaining to disability, sanitation and advocacy.
Heshima Group has also partnered with five primary schools that have provisions for special units. The group is currently working with the School Management Committee (SMC) and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to make sure the children with disability get the quality free primary education despite their challenges. They have also sent both the national and the international volunteers who are professionals to assist us free of charge in different field to meet both the group and the project goals/objectives.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
Heshima Group for the disabled was supported by U-Tena to repair their water Kiosk, biogas toilet and trained members on sanitation marketing and social entrepreneurship in the sanitation sector. The biogas serves an average of 200 people per month as the organization has employed one deaf person who manages the toilet. Water that is being distributed to the neighborhood of about 50 people that is sold at 5/- per 20 liter Jerican was made possible from the project’s support.
Heshima group for the Disabled started in year 2007 as a self-help group under the mentorship of Association for the Physically Disabled for Kenya (A.P.D.K.). Heshima Group is composed of people with disability and parents of children living with disability under the age of 18years. At the moment, the group has 52 members with active members being 32. From the year 2001 to 2004, Heshima operated on the basis of revolving funds from members (merry go around). However, from the year 2004, Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (A.P.D.K.) started a micro-finance unit of lending money to its members and Heshima Group was one of the beneficiaries.
The group was registered in 2007 and got sponsorship from Umande Trust, a non-profit organization which deals with issues of water and sanitation. Umande Trust helped construct a Bio-Centre with 8 toilets, 4 bathrooms and a bio-gas outlet which is used by neighbors to cook at an affordable fee. Umande Trust later started a water point, where the use of long horse pipe which supply water to the nearby houses instead of carrying the 20litres Jerri can was introduced. In total the group has 300 customers per day where they earn 800/= per day but that amount increase on Saturday and Sunday where the group can make between Kshs1, 300/= to Kshs1, 500/=
In the year 2011, Heshima Group partnered with Education Assessment Resource Center (E.A.R.C) in mobilizing and referring the children with disability for assessment and school placement as most of community had no information where to take their children with special needs. They later introduced the group to V.S.O. an N.G.O. that has a disability programme called Strengthening Citizen Participation in Governance of Education. V.S.O has been able to train our members and the community on issues pertaining to disability, sanitation and advocacy.
Heshima Group has also partnered with five primary schools that have provisions for special units. The group is currently working with the School Management Committee (SMC) and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to make sure the children with disability get the quality free primary education despite their challenges. They have also sent both the national and the international volunteers who are professionals to assist us free of charge in different field to meet both the group and the project goals/objectives.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
Heshima Group for the disabled was supported by U-Tena to repair their water Kiosk, biogas toilet and trained members on sanitation marketing and social entrepreneurship in the sanitation sector. The biogas serves an average of 200 people per month as the organization has employed one deaf person who manages the toilet. Water that is being distributed to the neighborhood of about 50 people that is sold at 5/- per 20 liter Jerican was made possible from the project’s support.
OUT DE DESIGNS
OUT DE DESIGNS is a youth owned brand which deals with African Inspired bags and outfits as well as creative designs and up cycled products. It was started as a youth group in late 2015 but picked up operations in late 2016. Its aim is to equip youth with skills so as to be their own bosses in effort to curb joblessness and idleness among the youth around Mukuru Kwa Njenga.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
The group was supported to train youths on tailoring with a specific emphasize on bag making. U-Tena also supported this group with sewing machines, hired trainers, bought training materials and supported the team to do marketing. After the project started they were able to get several clients who were supporting their course through purchase of products.
During the project implementation the group managed to make bags. The bags were sold to different individual from different institutions. U-Tena supported this group to sell their products within Kenya and other counties including USA, Uganda and Canada.
OUT DE DESIGNS is a youth owned brand which deals with African Inspired bags and outfits as well as creative designs and up cycled products. It was started as a youth group in late 2015 but picked up operations in late 2016. Its aim is to equip youth with skills so as to be their own bosses in effort to curb joblessness and idleness among the youth around Mukuru Kwa Njenga.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
The group was supported to train youths on tailoring with a specific emphasize on bag making. U-Tena also supported this group with sewing machines, hired trainers, bought training materials and supported the team to do marketing. After the project started they were able to get several clients who were supporting their course through purchase of products.
During the project implementation the group managed to make bags. The bags were sold to different individual from different institutions. U-Tena supported this group to sell their products within Kenya and other counties including USA, Uganda and Canada.
JITEGEMEE KENYA PAMOJA INITIATIVE
Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja Initiative is a Youth-led Registered Community Based Organization (CBO) created in 10th May 2010 under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services, Department of Social Services, Gender and Social Development Committee, (Certificate No. A10097). The project is located along the enterprise road within Mukuru Kaiyaba Slums Kenya Wine Village in Starehe District, Nairobi County, where we are all from.
“Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja” is Swahili for “Rely On – Us Together”. Our Organization was started basically when we perceived root causes of youth structural violence in our community and we enabled jobless youth come up with plans and strategies of creating a better environment among the community and its members by creating educative and self-sustainable projects in our urban slum areas. JKP’s Main Objective is to enable the Orphans, Vulnerable Children, Youth, Women, People Living With Disabilities and the Old Age.
JKP teaches communities about Micro-Business Enterprise Development Computer Training, Acting, Dance, Music, Script Writing, Film Production, Sports Clubs, Agri-Business, Value Addition, Waste Management Projects, Briquette Making, Sack-in-a-garden, Rabbit Farming, Poultry, Loans and Savings, Business Consultancy among others.
More information about Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja can be found here
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
Jitegemee Pamoja CBO partnered with U-Tena to implement rabbit farming. This group was supported by U-Tena to train other community groups on rabbit farming and value addition on urban agricultural produce. Thirty trainees were also taken for exposure visit at Ngong National Rabbit Center. Participants were able to learn about types of rabbits, maintenance of rabbits, reasons for rabbit keeping, effects of poor rabbit keeping, marketing of rabbit products.
Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja Initiative is a Youth-led Registered Community Based Organization (CBO) created in 10th May 2010 under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services, Department of Social Services, Gender and Social Development Committee, (Certificate No. A10097). The project is located along the enterprise road within Mukuru Kaiyaba Slums Kenya Wine Village in Starehe District, Nairobi County, where we are all from.
“Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja” is Swahili for “Rely On – Us Together”. Our Organization was started basically when we perceived root causes of youth structural violence in our community and we enabled jobless youth come up with plans and strategies of creating a better environment among the community and its members by creating educative and self-sustainable projects in our urban slum areas. JKP’s Main Objective is to enable the Orphans, Vulnerable Children, Youth, Women, People Living With Disabilities and the Old Age.
JKP teaches communities about Micro-Business Enterprise Development Computer Training, Acting, Dance, Music, Script Writing, Film Production, Sports Clubs, Agri-Business, Value Addition, Waste Management Projects, Briquette Making, Sack-in-a-garden, Rabbit Farming, Poultry, Loans and Savings, Business Consultancy among others.
More information about Jitegemee Kenya Pamoja can be found here
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
Jitegemee Pamoja CBO partnered with U-Tena to implement rabbit farming. This group was supported by U-Tena to train other community groups on rabbit farming and value addition on urban agricultural produce. Thirty trainees were also taken for exposure visit at Ngong National Rabbit Center. Participants were able to learn about types of rabbits, maintenance of rabbits, reasons for rabbit keeping, effects of poor rabbit keeping, marketing of rabbit products.
SIMAMA AFRICA.
U-Tena in conjunction with Simama Africa, JYA products and Hope Creations trained youths from 20 youth groups on making beads and crafts and other crafts and help them to market them within and out of Kenya through U-Tena's established markets and explore new markets.
The group managed to sell bead work in Kenya, Uganda, USA and CANADA during the project implementation phase.
U-Tena in conjunction with Simama Africa, JYA products and Hope Creations trained youths from 20 youth groups on making beads and crafts and other crafts and help them to market them within and out of Kenya through U-Tena's established markets and explore new markets.
The group managed to sell bead work in Kenya, Uganda, USA and CANADA during the project implementation phase.
ZINDUA JAMII YOUTH GROUP
Zindua Jamii is performing art group that is based in Mukuru Embakasi Nairobi Kenya. This group is comprised of the youth of which most of them ranges from 19 to 25 years old.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
U-Tena trained this group on performing art and linked them to markets within Nairobi Kenya. U-Tena hired the trainer, bought costumes and performance accompaniments for Zindua Jamii.
Zindua Jamii is performing art group that is based in Mukuru Embakasi Nairobi Kenya. This group is comprised of the youth of which most of them ranges from 19 to 25 years old.
PARTNERSHIP WITH U-TENA
U-Tena trained this group on performing art and linked them to markets within Nairobi Kenya. U-Tena hired the trainer, bought costumes and performance accompaniments for Zindua Jamii.
SHOE MAKING
U-Tena trained a number of youths from Viwandani Mukuru to make new shoes for commercial purposes. U-Tena supported these youths to sell their hand made shoes in different forums.
Click here to see how U-Tena's Shoe making model was featured by Ebru TV Kenya
U-Tena trained a number of youths from Viwandani Mukuru to make new shoes for commercial purposes. U-Tena supported these youths to sell their hand made shoes in different forums.
Click here to see how U-Tena's Shoe making model was featured by Ebru TV Kenya
U-Tena's Livelihhod Project featured in Ebru TV