Increased Holiday demand for ETCO
The queue at the ETCO office stretched further than usual — more sandals in the dust, more voices overlapping, more empty bowls waiting. Schools had shut for a two-month holiday, and the children’s feeding programme suddenly carried the weight of long empty mornings.
That surge is both encouragement and pressure. It says families trust the space; it also means pots must stretch and shopping lists grow when household budgets are already tight. ETCO serves not only children — youth and elders also find a plate here — so a spike in numbers touches every part of the kitchen plan.
Volunteers notice it in the arithmetic: more cups, more firewood, more trips to the tap, more voices asking politely if seconds are possible. We do not turn people away lightly — we adjust, we borrow recipes that stretch, we phone a donor who once said “call when it spikes.” But honesty matters: a long holiday without school meals shifts hunger from the classroom to the lane.
Holiday hunger is quiet. It does not arrive with headlines. It arrives when a guardian calculates whether today’s KSh can cover ugali and greens, or whether the children will eat plain tea and sleep hungry.
If you are looking for a practical way to help through the break, fund a sack of maize, send vegetables, or walk with us on a Saturday. The line is longer; the commitment has to match.
We will keep posting what we need week to week — sometimes cooking oil, sometimes beans, sometimes cash for transport. Holiday months test every kitchen; help us keep the pot honest.
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.
Planning Meeting with PSN - Waste Management Project
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