We officially opened both our new Shining Hope Community Center and our Bio-Latrine Center this week! The opening ceremony included songs from the students at the Kibera School for Girls, speeches from Kennedy and Jessica, and speeches of gratitude from community members. A Senior Representative from Umande Trust – the organization who built the technology for the Bio-Latrine Center – also spoke. We provided food and drinks, as well as balloons for kids in the neighborhood! It was a truly happy occasion.
The Community Center will house a public library and computer center, is currently where our Community Health Workers are being trained until the JJJ Clinic opens, and has a large multi-purpose room that is already being used for community meetings, celebrations, and the SHOFCO Women’s Empowerment Project (SWEP). We are so excited to see what other creative uses our Community Center will get!
The Bio-Latrine Center houses our beautiful new pit latrines and showers, located adjacent to the Kibera School for Girls. Its technology converts waste into methane gas, which can then be harvested for use. There is also a hand-washing station and a water tank attached to the Bio-Latrine Center. The Bio-Latrine would not exist without the generous support of the Platkin-Teutsch family. We would also like to thank the Newman’s Own Foundation for supporting the expansion of this project.
We plan to have clean, filtered water technology as the next step to this project!
