Feeding Program Success
The Children’s Feeding Programme is the pulse of ETCO — the weekly proof that a community can feed its youngest members without waiting for perfect conditions. Every Saturday, volunteers gather while the sun climbs, chopping, stirring, setting out plates as if the whole morning were a rehearsal for generosity.
Donors send what they can — sometimes cash by M-PESA, sometimes sacks that arrive dusty from the market — and those gifts translate into hot food at lunchtime. We do not take that for granted; we pray for continued provision because empty pots on a Saturday would echo louder than words.
What success looks like
Success is a child learning a new song from a facilitator, two friends arguing good-naturedly over football, a shy newcomer getting a second helping without asking twice. If you want to keep those smiles funded, partner with us for the next Saturday — the menu changes, but the need does not.
Behind the scenes, someone reconciles receipts, someone negotiates a better price for tomatoes, someone texts a donor to say “we fed everyone.” That invisible work is part of the programme too — without it, the ladle stops. We are always looking for people who can give steadily, not only when a crisis trends online.
Parents sometimes tell us their child talked about “ETCO lunch” all week — that is the kind of feedback we write down when fundraising feels awkward. If you sponsor ingredients, ask us for a photo back; we will share what we can without embarrassing families.
Engaging Children through Feeding Program
Thanks to Chris and Jayne, ETCO had a warm feeding program for children at our new office—bringing joy, a good meal, and community together in Kibera.
Project Site Visit by Rotary Club of IPSWICH (USA) and Kikuyu (Kenya)
It was a great and engaging day of partnership and learning as we hosted the International Rotary Club of IPSWICH team, led by Environmental Lawyer Chris and his wife, Jane, Former President of Rotary Club of Kikuyu Hon. George Ngotho and Rotarian Yumbya for a visit to our project implementation sites. The visit provided an opportunity to review the project areas on the ground, discuss implementation priorities, and strengthen our shared commitment to sustainable environmental and community development. We also had the opportunity to visit the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC), where we were hosted by Commissioner Dr. Loice Kipkorir, a member of the Ngong River Committee. We explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration and align our work with the Nairobi Rivers Commission's Restoration Framework.
Community Capacity Building Training
We are currently participating in the ongoing PROVE (Public Space Governance Research, Observation, Validation and Experimentation) Pilot Programme, a four-month initiative by Public Space Networks (PSN) bringing together 11 community groups from Kamukunji and Korogocho. The programme focuses on strengthening community organizations’ capacity to manage, protect and improve public spaces as well as restoring rivers and it's ecosystems. The ongoing capacity-building training is helping CBOs and community organizations better understand the connection between public spaces, river restoration and ecosystem conservation, while exploring practical approaches and stronger collaboration among communities, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.