Tujiinue Youth Group

In 2010 Kijani began working with Tujiinue Youth Group in the Bombolulu district of Kibera Slum, to start an income generating project that aimed to combine youth empowerment with increased environmental sustainability within the community.

When Kijani met with Tujiinue youth group in Bombolulu, they already had the idea to start a rubbish collection and clean up service so that the neighbourhood would no longer simply dump their rubbish in the open sewers and the area would become cleaner and healthier.

The group had the idea and willingness for this income generating project, but they lacked the capital and business management knowledge.

Kijani therefore provided business training and capital to help Tujiinue enact upon their plan and reach their goal of starting a sustainable business.

The clean-up and collection project has been a successful initiative, enabling the youth group to become empowered, develop important skills, and generate an income for themselves.

It has also improved environmental conditions in the slum, and engaged the community in issues of health, environment and sanitation. Profits from the project were invested in a secondary business initiative in 2012, installing a tank,shower and tap with clean water for drinking in their neighbourhood, ensuring that their community have access to clean water.

In 2013, the profits from the clean-up and water tank initiatives are being invested into a third business, a car wash situated on the outskirts of the slum. The group’s growing businesses demonstrate that investing in youth with training and capital can give them the skills, vision, and confidence to develop bigger initiatives on their own.