A staff meeting to introduce the new ECC's Director, Mr. Kuria Muigai

ECC's staff gathered inside the Assembly Hall for a meeting to introduce the new Director, Mr. Kuria Muigai.  

The meeting started with a word from the Bible followed by a prayer from Mr. Phares Nyaga, the Manager at ECC.

The Director, Mr. Kuria addressing his staff at the meeting.

Some of the ECC's staff during the meeting.

Community Based Training (CBT) package development workshop

Community Based Training (CBT), a project under STED on 5th August organised a workshop at ECC that was ment to develop training packages for its trainees so as to enhance its effectiveness. The project gives skills training to youth from Nairobi's informal settlements with the aim of enhancing their employability for poverty eradication. 

Everyone was welcomed for a cup of tea just before the workshop started. 

Mr. Phares Nyaga, the Manager and STED program officer, started the workshop by urging trainers to develop  training packages that would enhance the effectiveness of the project to youth from informal settlements.

Trainers in groups discussing about their packages before presenting.

Anne Imali from miss Koch (Korogocho), owns a business by the name Burudika Talent Teens Club (M.K.K) that offers dancing classes to vulnerable youth from informal settlements presenting her packages.

The Chairman of ECC Board of Management, Mr. Ephantus Kamau, sharing lunch with the trainers at the workshop. It was a great pleasure! 

Lunch was served for all as they waited for the afternoon presentation!



We have a new Director!

PCEA Eastleigh Community Centre now has a new Director, Mr. Stephen Kuria Muigai. May the Almighty give him the strength to serve the organisation and community at large.

ECC's new Director, Mr. Stephen Kuria Muigai.

Mr. Daniel Wiragu was the acting director just before Mr. Muigai came in.

The  chairman of the board of management Mr. Ephantus Kamau.

The board together with the entire staff are wishing Mr. Stephen Kuria Muigai all the best in his new position.

Opening of the ICT workshop and launch of KNH EU partnership project in Laikipia East District

ETHI C.I.T.C POLYTECHNIC (ETHI)

ECC joined Ethi CITC polytechnic in an occassion to open an ICT workshop and launching of a KNH-EU partnership project. The project aims at reducing poverty among vulnerable youths through empowering vocational training in Laikipia East district ans Nairobi's informal settlements.

Ecc's banner advocating for poverty reduction at the event.

The occassion was officiated by Daniel Plas, EU Delegation to Kenya. 

A trainee from ECC's vocational Training Centre giving a talk about how he has personally benefited from the project.

VTC Students from ECC performing a skit on peer education and life skills for youth during the event.

Women from ECC Self Help Groups during the event.

Closing day at Rev. Kareri Primary School July 27 2011

The August holiday is here and pupils from Rev. Kareri are set to close the school for the vacation. At least to rest from the longest term in school!  



They all stood up in respect to the National Flag as it was being raised.



Pupils going on stage to perform at the closing day ceremony.

Pupils performing to entertain the congregation.

The deputy headteacher Mr. James Kimita, giving a speech at the ceremony.

This was the climax of the event. Where the best performed pupils were crown presents by there teachers. 

Pupils pose for a photo as they received gifts from their teacher.

The best performed children from the kindergaten as they received presents from their teacher.



Bead products from The Noor Creation

The green bracelate sparkles with a bright golden colour that gives it a great look for an occasion. They come in a wide range of colors from blue, to red, brown and so many others. Not heavy, weighs about 1.2 gramms.

The giraffe earings. Its name was derived from the colours and dots found on the giraffes' skin. There look reminds one of the famous Masai Mara National Reserve found in Kenya. 

A white bracelate, a white neckless and a white pair of earings to march your outfit for an event!

Quite a variety of earings to choose from. Just grabb one for yourself!

The necklesses hanging on the display show the diversity in colours and designs for different necklesses.





Community based training orientation forum

Early this month, STED launched a project that was aimed at promoting marketable skills to provide sustainable employment among the youth from Nairobi's informal settlements of Huruma, Korogocho and Mathare. Today, hardly a month after the launch, youths were sommoned for an introduction to the project.
On 28th June 2011 ECC held an orientation forum for the youth to youth project inside the assembly hall. The project is a partnership between ECC and KCDF. It initiates youth by giving them tangible skills within a short period of time for sustainable employment opportunities within the informal settlements of Nairobi. 

PCEA ECC’s Director, Mr. Daniel Wairagu Addressing the youth during the orientation forum

Those in attendance for the orientation forum included; The Director, Mr. Daniel Wairagu, The Program Officer for Skills Training and Enterprise Development Program (STED), Mr. Phares Nyaga, Project Officer Risper Njoroge, the CLA Members, trainers, and the recruited trainees. The trainees will be engaged in a three months Community Based Training (CBT) on tailoring, baking, hairdressing, beauty therapy, electrical engineering, mechanics etc.

Mrs. Nancy who owns a salon at Kariobangi Market, addressing the youth during the orientation forum.

The beneficiaries of CBT were also invited to share their stories and experiences on what they gained from the skills trainings. 

A youth from Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, is among the first pioneers who benefited from The Community based Training Project way back in 2009 after the post election skirmishes.

He did his training at a baking factory located at Light industries, Kariobangi South, Nairobi area. Here goes his story.

The arrow is pointing at Geoffrey Kariuki. Youth listening to The Program Officer, Mr. Phares Nyaga during the orientation forum.

Geoffrey Kariuki was born and raised in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi ranked among the country’s biggest informal settlements. He schooled in Korogocho, this includes both his primary and secondary education.

After completing his high school, Geoffrey did not perform very well to pursue a career at the university, and even if he could have passed, his parent’s financial status could not have supported him to pursue any career at any tertiary institution leaving him with no other option than staying at home. He spent most of his time doing nothing but sitting idly on stones besides the roads with his peers and teasing passers by.

Days, Months and years passed and nothing had taken place in Geoffrey’s life. Life was still the same. His friends opted for other things like crime, drug abuse and theft but Kariuki did not. He was a Christian who strongly believed in the bible’s teachings. He would spend most of his time in church giving talks to the youth and attending masses. Actually, he was a humble, young man who did not take alcohol or any stimulant like the boys at his age.

Geoffrey then heard about the Community Based Trainings offered by Eastleigh Community Centre. He decided to join the organization and enroll for skills training in baking, this time round at a baking factory in Kariobangi Light Industries. He was trained there for three months, two hours per day. He liked the job, and on completion of the training, he was employed by the same company earned between ksh 200-250 per day.

Geoffrey worked there for three months after which he developed another idea to distribute the cakes. This was more like self employment as would buy the cakes and distribute them to his customers all at his costs. He would buy the cakes from the same company in Kariobangi where he trained and worked and transport them to Kangemi by bicycle. Challenges were many, but what kept the spirit burning in Kariuki is that he had hopes that one day he would come out of poverty.

He kept selling the cakes as his customers increased by each day until the bicycle could not carry enough cakes to meet his clients’ demands. This is when he thought of owning a motor cycle which would enable him transport his products on several trips to and from Kangemi much faster than the bicycle. Now, this has doubled his salary as he gets orders from Kenya Soil Research, Nairobi School, Westland, and Kangemi among others.

He bought another motor bike which is doing him very well, he even paid his brothers fee of Kshs 45,000 to join NYS, affords to pay his bills on time, eat well and support his family. Now, he is determined to buy a car so as to meet his customers’ demand who increase daily and increase his sales volume too.

He’s got one word to his fellow youth; ‘Life is what you take it to be, live each day as it comes’

Youth queuing for food after the forum session.

At the end of the forum, they were all treated to a plate of food and some fruits to ease them from the harshness of hunger. They also promised to work hard and stay focus during the trainings and in life for their success.