Crosscurrents has been actively involved with Maji Mazuri since 2001. The program is based in Mathare Valley slum area on the outskirts of Nairobi. An estimated 750,000 people live in the area without sanitation, clean water, electricity, permanent houses, streets, etc. The Maji Mazuri Center is based in the slum and provides needed support to youth and to families.

The center was started by Wanjiku Kironyo, an amazing Kenyan woman who studied in the USA. She started the program in the slum area in the late 1980’s to work with a few women.

Today, the program has sub-parts serving over 700 people everyday. The largest program is the primary school, located inside the slum. It serves over 500 students. Each student receives 2 meals a day. Last year, 3 students scored top grades in national tests in Kenya. In addition to the school, another sub-program is targeted to 18-22 year olds, for IT training in computers. Students who complete this 24-month training are in high demand and get jobs outside the slums.

There is also a program for youth to perform music and poetry. These young students—all from the slum area—perform monthly on national TV. They were recently invited to perform at the US Embassy in Nairobi. The success was unexpected. As a result, students from Maji Mazuri have an open invitation to come to the Embassy to use the library facilities.

Crosscurrents has been directly involved with Maji Mazuri for many years. We have visited the program, arranged for volunteers to spend time in Nairobi, hosted people in USA from the program, and helped with fundraising in the USA.