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and make someone's future possible
Projects like this, which transform the lives of dozens and thousands of people, are only possible because there are engaged individuals. Be an active agent of this change and collaborate for a better future for hundreds of children.
Contributions are used in various ways, such as purchasing food, school supplies, improvements, paying teachers, and more.
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Lea Mathare Foundation
The greatest lesson I have learned during my journey is the importance and necessity of using my privilege in such an unequal world to support and contribute to genuine projects that seek to improve the living conditions of the underprivileged. Education is a crucial factor in this transformation, especially in an increasingly competitive, globalized, and ever-changing world.
Throughout my travels around the world, I have met people who dedicate their lives to transforming their surroundings. Reagan Waitaka has been a source of inspiration since our encounter in July 2021. With what little he possesses, he created a social project in one of the largest communities in the African continent, and since then, he has supported, contributed, and transformed the lives of hundreds of children.
The central goal is to break the vicious cycle that drags on from generation to generation and to provide the minimum conditions for these children. His motto, "an empty stomach cannot learn," is the foundation of the project, which not only provides education but also offers meals to more than 100 children daily.
Like many social projects, the LEA MATHARE FOUNDATION faces various challenges to keep running, such as a shortage of food and school supply donations, as well as structural and financial difficulties to fulfill the project's essential obligations. Without the support of donations, the children served by the NGO would return to the streets of Mathare. DONATE HERE!
THE PROJECT
1
LEA MATHARE
Founded in 2013, the school serves 100 children daily, ranging in age from 4 to 15 years old, providing education and two daily meals (breakfast and lunch). Additionally, the school supports the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, the sick, and individuals with special needs. On Saturdays, there is a special community feeding program, distributing between 500 and 700 meals.
2
THE COMMUNITY (MATHARE)
Located in Nairobi, Kenya, Mathare is considered the largest slum in the African continent. Over one million people live below the poverty line, and approximately 50% of girls between the ages of 16 and 25 end up becoming pregnant, contributing to the perpetuation and increase of the vicious cycle. Within the community, there is no access to clean water, electricity, and sanitation.
3
O POUCO PODE SER MUITO
It's impressive the impact that can be created with so little. Rent within the community doesn't cost more than $20 per month. Providing education for a child costs around $100 per semester, including all materials and uniforms. Although this amount may not be significant for you, the reader, it is an unattainable sum for the residents of Mathare.
REAGAN WAITHAKA
FOUNDER AND COORDINATOR
Born to a single mother, he grew up in the Mathare community. His mother passed away when he was 15 years old. Without relatives or siblings, he left school and became a street dweller in Mathare. As he told me, life on the streets was not easy, as he went days without food and scavenged for scraps in the trash.
After living as a street wanderer for two years, an Italian missionary rescued him and placed him in school. Reagan said he was "hungry for education" and worked hard to complete his primary education.
During the 2000s, he entered secondary school and during this time, he participated in a social program run by the church.
When he left school, he found himself without opportunities and returned to Mathare, where he worked near the river, involved in the production of "brew" (an illicit petroleum-derived substance) and other drugs.
After four years of working in the illegal production, he had a life-changing opportunity: to play football in Switzerland and Qatar. He dedicated six years to football, but unfortunately, couldn't pursue a long-term career in it.
Upon returning to the community and having undergone a personal transformation, he looked at the place where he was born and raised, seeing hundreds of children following the same path he once treaded.
Determined to dedicate his life to the community, he opened his social project in 2013, with a primary focus on serving the children.
Since its inception, over 1,000 students have passed through the project.
LEA MATHARE FOUNDATION
NAIROBI, KENYA
This video was produced during my volunteering in August 2021. Since then, Reagan continues to operate the project supported by donations.