Dagoretti
Dagoretti South Constituency is situated in the western part of Nairobi County and has a recorded population of 240,081, which accounts for approximately 5.5% of Nairobi’s total population (Kenya Population and Housing Census, 2019). It is classified as peri-urban and faces similar challenges to our other partner projects in urban areas characterised by a high density of slum dwellings.
With the adverse effects of a growing urban population, many residents live in poverty and struggle to engage productively in the formal job market, relying on irregular and unskilled or casual work. Low-income households face significant resource constraints and often lack the necessary skills to unlock stable income and secure income-generating activities. This deepens existing inequalities in accessing education, housing and healthcare, further worsening the socio-economic landscape and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
This is our newest project, starting in 2025, which builds on the wonderful legacy of the Mahali Pa Watoto nursery school site. It is in collaboration with Karen Street Children and Friends of Dagoretti, existing NGO tenants of the building, as well as other strategic partners in the local communities. The project is led by Catherine Muguro, who has a deep understanding of the local community, having served as the lead social worker for Friends of Dagoretti and Karen Street Children for many years.
Our work in nearby Kibra has always been constrained by space, and this site will allow our
Kibra project to work more actively with the wider family unit and reduce the risk of a
dependency culture developing.
Following some thorough community research in 2024, we are focusing on adolescents
and all aspects of their well-being, along with youth leadership and professional training
aimed at empowering them to make informed choices that will enable them to pursue roles
in the formal job market or as self-employed. We will also provide skills training and livelihood development, such as tailoring, along with financial literacy training so that families can secure a more reliable income stream, budget effectively, and save for their children's future.