Maji Mazuri Center

Nairobi, Kenya

Dr. Wanjiku Kironyo

Founder of the Maji Mazuri Project

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.

Maji Mazuri 2022 Head Start Highlights

2022 has been a year of great success in our mission to help people escape poverty and become thriving individuals’. Despite several challenges, our programs made a huge difference in the lives of many children, youth and families that we served in 2022. This was made...

Maji Mazuri 2022 Teen Talent Program

Our teens program has continued to strengthen our collaboration with Kenya Cultural Centre incorporating Kenya National Theatre through the poetry after lunch (PAL) program. This collaboration has given our children the opportunity to perform at Kenya National theater...

Maji Mazuri 2022 Microfinance Program

Maji Mazuri Microfinance program continues to be a pillar in supporting microenterprise activities among underserved communities in Mathare slums with a special focus on women and youth led enterprises. The program has achieved great success in improving the quality...

Maji Mazuri 2022 – ICT Training Program

Maji Mazuri school of ICT has been able to train 74 youth on ICT skills in different levels in 2022. 20 students graduated from the program this year after successfully completing their one-year intensive training in graphics design and web development. Their...

Maji Mazuri 2022 Youth Program

Our youth program made a major shift on its activities in 2022. The program went through some restructuring and formed two formations (groups) based on age and interest of members. One formation was categorized as “Junior youth program” and the second formation was...