The El Niño season presses down on Kibera like a wet blanket: paths turn slick, runoff cuts quick channels between houses, and schools close just when routines disappear. On a day like that, a child’s world can shrink to whatever doorway is nearest — or whatever risk looks like fun when boredom wins.
Flooded alleys, fast run-off, and open streams are not abstract warnings here. They are places where a sandal slips, where waterborne illness travels quietly, where malaria finds new corners. Families watch the sky and count the hours until dry ground returns.
Saturdays at ETCO: food, play, and a door that stays open
ETCO runs a safe space for children every Saturday — games, conversation, and a children’s feeding programme that lands a proper meal at lunchtime. While plates are prepared, young ones stay busy; when food is served, empty stomachs get relief and parents get a little room to breathe. Some children help chop vegetables or stir pots, picking up kitchen confidence they will use at home.
When schools close during heavy weather, supervision thins out — older siblings are sent for water, caregivers take extra shifts, and idle hours can drift toward trouble. A predictable Saturday at ETCO will not solve every hazard, but it gives eyes on children for a few precious hours: adults who notice a fever, who redirect a risky game, who make sure a bowl is not the only warm thing a child receives that day.
None of this happens without people who give — food, time, small cash sent by M-PESA. If you have ever packed an extra bag of maize flour or shown up to wash dishes, thank you. The need rises with the rain; the invitation to stand with us on a Saturday still stands.
