Who We Are
Restore Dignity Korogocho is a community-based organization formed by people born and/or brought up in Korogocho with the focus on restoring the human dignity of the people of Korogocho. We believe in human rights advocacy and that every citizen has the right to shelter, health as fundamental rights as well as education and livelihood for improved human conditions.
Korogocho remains one of the most populated non-formal settlements in Nairobi. Most of the residents earn their living by performing semi-skilled and skilled work in nearby factories while others have to walk several kilometers in pursuit of casual jobs. Petty trading, hawking of second hand cloths and used household’s items also generate income for the families. Nearby factories and dumping site also supplements the needs of the residents as they rummage through debris to salvage foodstuff, which is resold to the residents. With uncertain income level, living standard is a tale of human endurance and creativity where the best and the worst traits are exhibited as families try to eke a living.
The crime rate is relatively high as a result of proliferation of small arms, drug abuse, political interference , impunity, extra judicial executions and unemployment amongst the youth who try to redistribute force fully the resources that are available within the community, illicit traders flourish from liquor brewing, popularly known as chang,aa, money laundering and the sale of small arms. These offer alternatives to youth who have become desperate and disillusioned.
The collapse of family institution has meant that single parents who have inadequate time to look after the youth, head most of the families. Growing up on their own, the youth experiment the available options engaging in pre marital sex, which further increases the number of dependants in a family and vulnerability in the area.
What We Do
Shelter
Shelter is one of our most basic needs: without it, it is almost impossible to carry on any other kind of activity, yet at least one in every four people worldwide live without decent housing and over 100 million people live in absolute homelessness. (newint.org) korogocho being an informal settlement the situation is even worse; ……
Health
Access to health remains a key challenge to people in informal settlement worldwide and korogocho is no exception considering that we have the biggest dump site in Dandora bordering korogocho.
The following are the interventions ………
Education
Bursary funds meant to support bright students from poor families have in the past ended on wrong hands from the duty bearers who have ended up using these important fund as campaign tool and also to reward their voters. In the end we’ve experienced massive drop out and a minimal number of students being admitted in schools……
Impact Stories
Fredrick Ogolla
As team leader, it feels nice giving back to a community that made me who I am ! Most of the cases we receive apart from the issue to do with school fees , Shelter , health , human rights and livelihood, majority of people who visit our office just need someone to listen to their issues and give them words of encouragement !
Long live Korogocho, long live Restoring Dignity Korogocho !
Betty Maina
Many young girls in informal settlements can’t afford sanitary pads and so often skip school during their periods. Some even resort to giving sexual favors as a means of obtaining menstrual hygiene products or the money to pay for them. This has led to an increase of teenage pregnancy which by itself is another challenge. At Restoring Dignity Korogocho, we have a pad bank that serves a database of around 3000 young girls and women in our community. What inspires me the most is that they can access these menstrual items at their own convenience for free.
Girl child empowerment
Florence Nyangweso (103 years old )
Mungu amefanya kazi yake, my life was pathetic because I didn’t have a good house! Now that you’ve given me new hope, I’ll continue praising my God!
Francis Mungai
I’ve seen God with my own eyes, my house was pathetic and for the past 15 years I never walked upright entering my home, friends abandoned me and my wife became a laughing stock in the area. The worst part was during rainy season when every member of my family would go to a safe place just to avoid being rained on
I thank GOD restoring dignity came at the right time when I was losing hope. To date, I’m very comfortable in my new home , and prays that God will help me live longer to finally enjoy the home ‘
Francis Ngira (Toto) Koch Alumni
There’s light inside the tunnel! After years of crawling in and out of her house, finally, there’re hopes of Mama Monicah returning to a new life and a place she calls home; she will soon walk upright into her house .Mama was temporarily resettled and her old house brought down ready for construction works!
Her former house was built in the 80s and has had its one side sinking into the ground slowly (over the years) to an extent of what was at one time a rectangular-shaped structure turning into a triangular-house she could not even fit a bed in; for days, weeks, and months, Mama Monicah has been sleeping sitting on a couch. She could not stand or lay straight fully stretching herself out.
Nobody would have ordinarily found out if indeed somebody lived in that structure, for it looked like one of those many abandoned buildings in Koch.
Partners
