Rebuild a Disability-Led Youth Community Center

In late January 2026, Gifted Community Center (GCC)’s hub center and office were completely destroyed by fire, bringing a sudden halt to our work with children and youth with disabilities in slums, underserved communities, and colleges across Kenya. This loss affected the safe space where many young people come for inclusive education, occupational therapy, recreation, skills development, and peer-to-peer mentorship. For many of the children and youth we serve, GCC is more than an office it is a trusted place where they build confidence, find encouragement, and access opportunities that help them thrive.

This emergency campaign, led by Warande Foundation in support of GCC, helped us begin the recovery process and restore basic operations. With KES 67,451 raised through this campaign, GCC replaced essential office furniture with KES 37,175 and restored tools and office supplies with KES 30,276. These items were needed to restart day-to-day coordination, communication, and program delivery, and to help GCC continue working with our college networks, self-help groups, and ambassadorial networks led by persons with disabilities.

The support came at a critical time. Without it, it would have been much harder to resume services and keep vulnerable children and youth connected to support. GCC’s model is rooted in lived experience, inclusion, and peer mentorship, and this makes continuity especially important after a crisis like this. By helping us restore our office and working tools, Warande Foundation and its supporters helped protect the progress we have made in advancing dignity, participation, and inclusion for children and youth with disabilities.

Long-term, rebuilding GCC’s office and hub strengthens our ability to sustain disability-led programs, support livelihoods, and maintain a safe, community-based space for young people who need it most. It also helps ensure that a single fire does not erase years of community trust, leadership development, and inclusion work. We are deeply grateful for this support, which has helped GCC take the first important steps toward recovery and continuity.