We are happy to see them happy...
The first month after schools closed had its own rhythm. By mid-morning, the lane outside our office — the room that doubles as kitchen for now — would fill with the sound of small feet and borrowed footballs.
The children had already learned the clock ETCO keeps. Lunch is not an abstract promise; it is a smell. Smoke, onions, a big sufuria working through githeri or whatever the day’s menu allows.
They play close on purpose — close enough to hear the lid lift, close enough to call a friend who is still two lanes away. “It’s almost ready,” someone shouts, and the group tightens like a knot.
A month in, school closure had stopped feeling like a holiday. Homework packets arrived late or not at all; parents left early for mjengo; younger siblings clung to older ones in queues. ETCO did not pretend to replace classrooms — we held a corner steady while adults hunted for rent.
Collince and the team learned names the way you learn market prices: repeat them until they stick. When the sufuria finally sings, bowls line up without being asked. That order is trust — fragile, daily, earned in tablespoons.
Weekend plates, growing numbers
The numbers keep growing, and that is both joy and pressure. More bowls mean more trust — and more shopping, more firewood, more hands washing dishes in cold water.
If you are looking for a way to help from outside Kibera, think in sacks and seasons: maize when prices spike, cooking oil when the tin runs dry, a standing order that survives a tough month. Weekend hunger does not wait for proposals to be signed.
We are grateful to donors who keep the weekends honest: children should not spend Saturday guessing whether food will come. If you have supported this kitchen, you have fed more than a meal — you have bought time for homework, for play, for a breath between worries.
🎓 ETCO Education Empowerment Program
📚 Holiday Tuition Classes Now in Progress! Give your child the opportunity to learn, grow, and stay academically active throughout the school holiday. Our experienced teachers provide quality guidance in all subjects, helping learners improve their understanding, confidence, and performance. ✅ All Subjects Available ✅ Supportive Learning Environment ✅ Open to Learners of All *High School* Levels
From Participation to Agency: ETCO at the SAIIA Youth Programming Innovation Lab
Last week, ETCO represented Kibra at the SAIIA Youth Programming Innovation Lab in Nairobi — where the real question wasn't youth participation, but youth agency. Here's what that means for our nine programmes, and an honest look at what it takes to build sustainably as a volunteer-run organisation.
Creating Impact, Building a Better Tomorrow
At ETCO, we're committed to creating lasting positive impact by keeping our environment safe and clean while creating meaningful employment opportunities for our communities. Through innovation and strategic partnerships with like-minded stakeholders, we're working together to achieve shared goals that drive sustainable development. We're also conducting a comprehensive economic survey to better understand the project's returns, impact, and scalability—ensuring every step we take is informed, effective, and built for long-term success.