Merry Christmas 2023
Christmas morning in Kibera sounds like chapati decisions, distant music, and someone calling a child who is already halfway down the lane. At ETCO, we added another sound: spoons against plates, chairs scraping concrete, the soft rush of a crowd becoming a family for a few hours.
We gathered for a meal — not because Christmas is only food, but because food is how we say, “You belong here.” Elders ate slowly. Children saved sweets for later. Someone’s uncle told a joke too loud and nobody minded.
The lane outside still had its usual hustle — sukumu sellers, boda bodas, someone arguing about a misplaced shoe — but inside our circle, the day slowed. Plastic cups clinked. A toddler fell asleep mid-bite.
Christmas is many things in many homes. Here, it was also a reminder that joy does not require a perfect stage — just a table brave enough to grow.
If you were with us in spirit, you were part of that warmth. If you want next year’s table to stretch wider, stand with ETCO — your giving turns a special day into a pattern of care.
However you marked the day — in church, at home, or working a double shift — we hope you tasted a little peace. We will be here again when the music fades and the pots return to ordinary Tuesdays.
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.
High Level NRC & Development Partners Meeting
Representing the Ngong River Regeneration Network, I'm having the privilege of attending a high-level breakfast meeting convened by the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC) in collaboration with the Kenya Permanent Mission to UN-Habitat. The meeting has brought together Development Partners, Government Agencies, Private Sector representatives, and Community representatives to deliberate on the restoration and sustainable management of Nairobi’s rivers.