SYSC provides programs and services targeting youth in Kenya's most populous slum settlements, Nyeri town, where about 65% of the population is between 15-30 years of age, unemployed and affected by a high but unknown rate of HIV/AIDS infection. We need to rebuild the walls of our semi-permanent facility in stone so we can continue to provide programming and avoid spending desperately needed funds to rent training space. The facility is currently vulnerable to theft and unstable due to erosion.
SYSC owns a centre that we have used to run a drop-in centre and outreach programs since its construction in 1999. It is built of timber and iron sheeting and located on sloped land. We have always wished to reinforce our facility so we could offer vocational skills training programs here too without worry of equipment theft (instead of using funds to rent an off-site facility or pay a security guard here). Rebuilding is now urgent as erosion is making the facility increasingly unsafe.
We will use these funds to buy stones and cement and hire a mason to construct permanent walls. Local youth volunteers will assist with building, to be completed over 90 days (maximum). Stabilizing the building will allow us to avoid closing down this free and safe space for the local slum youth who use our drop-in centre. It will also provide a safe and secure location for our other programs, which include vocational skills training, youth counseling, health and HIV/AIDS education and Scouts.
Sustainable poverty alleviation. The slums served by SYSC receive little support from local government or international NGOs. The educational, health, counseling and leadership programs and services offered by SYSC give youth from Nyeri township's slums essential tools and support to break free from poverty. Armed with the skills to find jobs or start micro-enterprises, youth are able to avoid common trappings of slum life, like drugs and prostitution, and help the rest of their families.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).