It was started in the year 2008 as a soccer and sponsorship programme but later many other activities were introduced. The newly introduced activities include Art class, Journalism club, Cultural troupe, Golden Girls Power and tuition programmes.  Uweza was registered as an NGO in 2010 and is located along Karanja Road opposite St. Mary's Hospital.

The Managing Director is Jen Sapitro and the Country Director is Mr. William Moi.  The main aim of Uweza Foundation is to create and nurture talents in Kenya and especially in the Kibera slum.  In soccer, there are various categories namely under 8 years, under 10 years, under 12 years, under 14 years, under 16 years and senior. Boys are in almost all categories but there are also girls categories.

In art class, those with passion learn how to make good art work and painting. In fact, there are so many paintings on the walls within the Uweza center rooms, which have been done by the art class students.  In Journalism club, which I also belong to, we are taught basic journalism skills, responsible journalism and photography too. We also get to write articles of which the best are posted on Uweza blog.

Traditional dances and songs are promoted in the dancing troupe.  Speak It Out is an interesting programme for the youths aged from 12 years-old. Here, we get to share life experiences, are taught what life is about, about relationships and what to expect in life. We're also taught on good behaviour.

Golden Girls Power is a club in which girls learn about life skills and also how to make jewelry. The jewelry is sold; hence it is an income generating exercise.  In tuition, primary and secondary school goers are given an extra hand in learning and revision. They are also helped to do their homework. This is because some of them can't afford to have electricity in their homes for doing revision of what they have been taught in school.

So far Uweza is a good initiative. This is because many children get to realize and nurture their talents at Uweza and they look forward to what they will become in the future.               

JOURNALISM CLUB by Sharon Akinyi

Uweza Foundation is an organisation that gives young people a chance to develop and nurture their talents. The main aim of this organisation is to nurture talents in the Kibera slums. There are many programmes that are run by Uweza Foundation such as Art and Craft, dancing club commonly refered to as Uweza Cultural Troupe and Journalism, just to mention a few.

Journalism club was started in February 2012. It has since been growing with young individuals who are interested in media. It is a club that prepares youth how to become good and responsible journalists. It started with teacher Thomas Bwire, who led the group up to March 2013. This group attends many forums and enjoyable places like Ngong Hills.

We have so far visited two media houses, KBC and Citizen TV, and have been able to meet professionals like Johnstone Mwakazi of Citizen TV. It was an enjoyable and educative tour as we were taught many things that were aimed at helping us in our lives as journalists.

In journalism club, we are taught how to write stories observing the 5W's and H. We are also taught on how to take good photographs. We have our own blog where we write stories and post them there.  Every event that takes place at Uweza is written and photographs are posted, this way we are able to share with the rest of the world. This therefore means that it is in Journalism Club that you will get the best writers and photographers.

When we meet on Sunday afternoon, we read and review newspapers, discuss the happenings of the past week and latest news too.  Right now we have teacher Mercy Alomba, and she is a good and friendly teacher. I believe that this club will produce fruitful people that will go an extra mile in informing the society.

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After spending the first few weeks of the challenge in the top three positions, we have dropped to seventh place.  We are reaching out to our supporters to donate anything they can to support our programs for girls that include:

• Scholarships (including school fees, books, and school uniforms) for girls in primary, secondary & technical schools
• Establishment of a "safe house" for girls seeking refuge from dangerous home situations
• Life skills training (topics include reproductive health, self-defense, and choosing a career) in our Girls' Empowerment Club
• Activities that build skills and self-esteem including a girls soccer team, art classes, a journalism club, and a dance group at our Community Center

From now until the end of the challenge on June 6, we will be sending a beaded spiral bracelet made by the members of our girls' empowerment club as a thank you to everyone who donates.

HOW TO DONATE: Please visit http://www.crowdrise.com/UwezaGirls to make a donation and then email us at info@uwezakenya.org with your mailing address.  Thanks in advance for your support of Uweza and girls in Kibera!

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Last Monday 29th April, 66 Kibera youth, both boys and girls, gathered at Gifted Hands School in Kibera for this month's Speak it Out.  The topic of the day was relationships and reproductive health and the guest speakers were Constance Okoth and John Kamwanza, proprietor and nurse of St. Mary's clinic, which is located across the street from the Uweza center.


Although sexual and reproductive health is taught in schools, the curriculum largely focuses on encouraging abstinence as the only option and students may not feel comfortable asking questions. At the same time, a survey of Kibera adolsecents carried out by Population Council found that among unmarried adolescents ages 10 to 19, 31 percent of boys and 24 percent of girls were sexually active.  HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, and sexual violence are realities that Kibera youth must deal with on a daily basis.  Uweza felt that providing youth with information about sex and relationships and directly addressing their quesitons and concerns would enable them to make informed decisions when it comes to their own sexual health. 

The first topics covered were basic life skills that included critical thinking skills, social skills, and emotional and self management skills. Participating youth were asked to describe challenges that they face as they mature and develop.  Participants mentioned low self-esteem, being old enough to make bad decisions, peer pressure, parents that were too busy to focus on their children, and poverty as challenges that youth in Kibera face.

 
The discussion then moved into relationships and reproductive health.  Constance discussed the male and female reproductive anatomy so that participants were able to fully understand their bodies, how they work, and that they are in control. The speakers also covered the symptoms and transmission of STDs and described how a pregnancy is conceived. Participants were encouraged, if sexually active, to use condoms. A large portion of the session was dedicated to answering youth's questions.  Openness was encouraged and no questions or topics were off-limits.  Because time was limited, future sessions will provide more comprehensive contraception education and youth were encouraged to visit St. Mary's clinic to learn more about contraceptive options, if needed.

The effect of poverty on youth's sexuality came up several times during the discussion. Many acknowledged that girls and women in Kibera  are sometimes pressured to have sex in order to meet their and their family's financial needs. An example given by one of the participating girls was:

"In some cases, you will realize that it is the girls who have taken up the burden of providing for their families upkeep. This in most cases is prompted by the father, who is believed to be the sole bread winner, running away from his responsibilities. In the process of the mother trying to provide for her children, she might get infected with HIV virus and in the long run is bed-ridden. The girl will therefore be forced to engage in sex-for-money."

Recognizing that this is a complex topic that will need continuous follow-up as well as small group sessions to fully meet the need for information on reproductive health for the youth participating in our programs, future sessions are being planned. Participating youth completed an evaluation as well as a survey about their current sexual activity and knowledge of family planning and we will use these as a guide to inform future sessions. Overall, the response of participating youth was very positive and almost everyone reported learning something useful they did not know before. 

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It is half past five in the evening but you might think it's early afternoon in one of the rooms at Uweza.You are met by cheerful faces of boys and girls attending a meeting. The meeting is held every last Sunday of the month to enable these special children socialise, play games, share snacks and review their performance in school.

I call them special because they have a special story to tell. They're among the many needy children from Kibera slums. The children are both special and lucky thanks to Uweza Foundation's sponsorship program that came to their rescue and has given them a chance to have their right to education. 

Mr. Mathew Muema, the Sponsorship Coordinator shares the sad story of the children in the program. "When you visit some of their homes, you will be shocked at what you see. Most of their parents are jobless and can't even afford to provide them with food. Many of them used to just stay home, despite attaining school going age, due to lack of school fees. Since it is not easy to provide a meal, where would their parent get money for paying school fees?"

Muema explains further on the issue of free primary education in the country.  "There is no free education system in the country at all. Remember the government does not provide the children with uniform, books and even shoes. This is tricky for those parents without a source of income!" he exclaims.

In the class sits a happy 13-year old Caroline Okibiego. She is in class six at Raila Educational Centre, a school in Kibera. She begins by thanking Uweza for reviving her dream of going to school by meeting all her school needs.  "Uweza pays all the fees, buys me uniform, shoes and all the stationery which I use in school".

Her words are echoed by 13-year old Brian Kitulu, a class seven pupil at Ayany Primary School. Like Okibiego, Kitulu is grateful for what Uweza is offering him. "I thank Uweza for everything that I get at Uweza as my mother can't always afford our schooling. In fact, Uweza even enables us enjoy our Christmas every end of the year. They give us gifts and food stuff so we can enjoy as a family."

Nothing good comes without challenges and Mr. Muema says that despite Uweza providing for the children's school needs, some of them drop in performance due to domestic problems like lack of food. Some of the parents leave all responsibilities and health matters to Uweza. You find that a kid is sick, but the parents don't take her for treatment. It is our responsibility to make sure the sick kid gets treatment by taking them to hospital." He adds that as some of the children develop, they're greatly affected by peer pressure.
 

Despite the challenges, Muema still holds high hopes for the children. He jovially says that there are lawyers, presidents, doctors, pilots and many more great people among the children present in this room. This is a hope that might come true as Caroline Kibiego wants to be a doctor and Brian Kitulu wishes to become a pilot. Muema also wishes all the sponsors God's blessings in all they do.

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"From a chips seller to a hotelier"
written by Victor Nyongesa, age 16
edited by Jenipher G. Awuor, age 17

Lucy Atieno is a chips seller in Lindi, Kibera.  Her main purpose for starting the business was because her husband could not provide her basic needs.

She borrowed a loan of KShs 10,000 from the Equity bank and agreed to pay after two months.  "I used to get a profit of one hundred shillings when I started this business," she said.  She saved the profits so as to expand her business.  After a period of five months, she expanded the busines from only selling chips to a hotel and now the profits rose from Shs 100 to Shs 700 per day.

And with this profit she can provide for her children all their basic needs.  Herself she is better than the way she was earlier.  She also paid the loan on time.

Victor Nyongesa and Jenipher Awuor

 

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Under-8 Standings

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"…they are the ones who help their parents a lot.  It is also important so that they can be respected in the society."
- Leah, age 16, Form 2 student at New Adventure High School

"…after the girls have finished school and found a job, they are able to help the society and make their family to be happy."
- Lorna, age 16, Form 1 student at Raila Educational Centre

"…most of them face difficult challenges that happen through their lives as girls.  The education nurtures them and it helps them to express themselves because many of them are afraid of expressing themselves openly.  After being educated, they may have courage to weigh what is right in their lives and what is wrong."
- Lilian, age 17, Form 4 student at Raila Educational Centre 

"…education is able to make them to learn how to manage their weaknesses as a girl in their environment."
- Cecilia, age 18, Form 4 student at Raila Educational Centre

"…girls are the backbone of society and they play a very important role in the community.  As the saying goes, behind every successful man there is a woman.  When you educate a girl, she will never forget where she comes from and will always try her best to endure all the pain and challenges that may come her way.  As the saying goes, when you educate a girl, you educate the whole nation."
- Serahz Sirama, age 17, Form 3 student at Raila Educational Centre

To support girls education in Kibera, either through sponsorship or through a one-time donation, visit http://www.uwezakenya.org/our-work/sponsorship.

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This was the group's first rehearsal after the Kenyan election.  In the weeks before the election, the Uweza Cultural Troupe organized performances for peace throughout Kibera.   The most exciting part of today's rehearsal was that the group was learning a new dance with new costumes of gumboots and overalls.  
 

According to Uweza Cultural Troupe Instructor Antony, the dance originates in mining communities in South Africa, who have used the dance to celebrate when they find gold.  In Kenya, it can also represent hunters who have brought meat to their families. He thought to introduce this dance into Uweza's activities to provide a creative way for Uweza youth to give back to the community.  Wearing these costumes, they will venture out into the slum to participate in clean ups and other environmental activities.  At the end of the activities, they will perform to entertain and engage community members.  The response from the participating dancers was that they were very happy to receive new costumes and are excited to become experts in a creative new dance. 

The author and photographer of this story are members of the Uweza Journalism Club.

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I guess that it was the right place for me.  "What's your name and how did you know about Uweza Foundation?" asked Thomas.  I told him my name and that I came to know about the organization and the journalism program through my sister.  After the first day, I have never changed my mind and our faithful teacher has always taught us great and lovely things on every topic, from what is journalism and how to become a good journalist.

He equipped us with awesome and creative journalism skills in all aspects.  To break the monotony, he also took us to  media houses to see how things are conducted.  Having a background in film, I was able to use my abilities and skills (e.g. photography) to apply them in the journalism field.  Thomas taught us how to write fantastic blogs and even at times we would go for field trips to make learning even more fun. 

Thomas is a very smart, hardworking and talented teacher who inspired us a lot.  He taught us the ethics required for a journalist to progress in life and would always let us borrow his camera to get real stories in real time.  We are sad that he is leaving Uweza but what he has left us with is unforgettable. We wish him all the best in as much as he gave us the best in teaching us about journalism.  God bless you Teacher Thomas Bwire.

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Thirty girls from Uweza programs participated in the two-day training, which took place on 23rd February and 1st March and covered the different types of assault and how to react when faced with assault situations.  The trainers role-played common Kibera scenarios in order for the girls to better understand and apply what they learned.  They emphasized the fact that even boyfriends can rape and that while girls are in school, their priority should be completing their education. Participating girls were also asked to role play, remembering that the main goal of self-defense is to get away from a potentially dangerous situation.

According to the No Means No trainers, 85% of assault situations only require use of voice to get away.  Uses of voice include: negotiate, lie, act crazy, promise, and use humour. Girls were taught how to say no confidently and stand up for themselves.  15% of situations require the use of fighting as a last resort.  When fighting is needed, the teachers trained the girls in techniques using what parts of their body were free and available and what areas of the assailant to target. 

In this video, the girls practice some of the techniques they learned, with an emphasis on saying no and meaning it:

Participants in the training were touched by the story of one of the trainers, who is a survivor of rape.  She encouraged the girls that the most important thing to remember in the event of sexual assault is to keep telling people that you trust until you get the help you need.  She did not tell anyone or receive the treatment that she needed until she discovered the programs offered by No Means No and now works to help prevent girls from having the same experience. 

Uweza Board of Directors member Mary-Anne also visited the program to provide some words of encouragement to the girls.  She talked about her experiences growing up and how her determination and drive have taken her from her rural village in Samburu to studying to be a lawyer in Nairobi.  She encouraged the girls to believe in themselves and to know that with enough will power and drive, anything is possible. 

We appreciate No Means No for taking the time to share knowledge and skills with the Uweza girls and applaud them for their important and necessary work. We hope that the Uweza girls will now be empowered to stand up for themselves, not only in the event of harrasment and assault but in all areas of their lives. The training participants were also encouraged to share the knowledge learned with their friends.  According to one of the participating girls, "It was really so wonderful and excellent to be taught such a topic."

View a photo gallery of the training here: http://www.uwezakenya.org/media/photo-gallery/girls-self-defense-training/

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