The Ruben Centre began serving children and families in Nairobi’s Mukuru community in 1986, when it opened a school. Since then it has expanded its activities, working hand-in-hand with community members to define and address a range of issues. The group’s core values—presence, liberation, and compassion—help ground its work in the needs and experiences of local families.
Food insecurity is a major issue facing the residents of Mukuru. Droughts, the high cost of domestic food production, increasing food prices globally, and the economic effects of coronavirus have strained families. Many households in Mukuru spend up to seventy percent of their income on food. Because the community is considered an illegal slum, residents are not eligible for government development and social service programs. A grant from BGR will help the Ruben Centre foster healthy, sustainable development in the community. The group will work with residents to plant and cultivate organic gardens, providing a reliable source of food, nurturing community-scale economic growth, and improving health by increasing access to fresh produce. The group will provide all of the materials needed to plant 400 gardens, provide training to 200 local gardeners, and monitor their progress. In the long run, the Ruben Centre sees the plan as an essential step in strengthening health, education, and inclusive involvement in Mukuru. New partner, new project.
The Ruben Centre began serving children and families in Nairobi’s Mukuru community in 1986, when it opened a school. Since then it has expanded its activities, working hand-in-hand with community members to define and address a range of issues. The group’s core values—presence, liberation, and compassion—help ground its work in the needs and experiences of local families.
Food insecurity is a major issue facing the residents of Mukuru. Droughts, the high cost of domestic food production, increasing food prices globally, and the economic effects of coronavirus have strained families. Many households in Mukuru spend up to seventy percent of their income on food. Because the community is considered an illegal slum, residents are not eligible for government development and social service programs. A grant from BGR will help the Ruben Centre foster healthy, sustainable development in the community. The group will work with residents to plant and cultivate organic gardens, providing a reliable source of food, nurturing community-scale economic growth, and improving health by increasing access to fresh produce. The group will provide all of the materials needed to plant 400 gardens, provide training to 200 local gardeners, and monitor their progress. In the long run, the Ruben Centre sees the plan as an essential step in strengthening health, education, and inclusive involvement in Mukuru. New partner, new project.
