Kibera like most slums is a harsh and difficult place to
live in. The unending struggles to make it through life with enormous obstacles
which include diseases, poverty and other quandaries of life from birth to
death creates a vicious cycle of poverty
culture that has become difficult to break. These plethoras of challenges have
called for measures in an attempt to curb this generational shame.
The Children of Kibera Foundation in collaboration with
LitWorld-an NGO based in New York have started boys and girls clubs to
help this unique group firmly lodged in a precarious situation overcome these
challenges.
The Boys Club was a response measure to address the needs of
the boy child who suffers silently at the expense of the girl child. The club
acts as a ‘safe space’ for the boys who engage in different activities that are
tailored to meet their educational, social and polito-economic needs. It draws
its objective from a curriculum that spells out seven social norms that form
the pillars of all the engagements within the club.
Currently the club holds a proud membership of close to
forty enthusiastic and promising boys who are drawn from nearly all the 13
villages making up the slum. These are members of ages 10-16, all of whom are
school going. The club provides a platform for the members to explicitly
express themselves and also exposes them to other worlds so as to widen their
worldview. This is done through skype meetings with boys from other clubs
outside Kenya, watching documentaries and movies etcetera, etcetera. The boys also make social trips and engage in
team building activities, sports and games. All these are blended to create
individuals with strong personalities, good morals and very much optimistic of
a prosperous future.
A mentor at work
Inculcating a reading culture
Lets read together
Generous donation from friends
Being inspired
Let go through the seven strengths
Exchange program with Uweza Foundation
We are the boys!
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