Written By Vanessa Kariuki ||
The Live and Learn education facility, has provided free education and vocational training to more than 6000 school-age children and young adults from Nakuru’s informal settlements.
The center was founded by Ms. Brique Zeinner with the intention of altering the lives of underprivileged children from the slums.
The Center, which has been in operation for 16 years, assists children throughout their elementary education, relieving suffering parents or guardians of the financial burden of school expenses.
Along with technical training in computing and information technology, teenagers also benefit from short courses in entrepreneurship and communication.
The center provides counseling sessions for parents as well as food relief programs for many families.
Zeinner claims that by providing holistic health coaching, the center helps people and families who have experienced trauma and tragic life events heal emotionally.
The Live and Learn Education Center mentor has advocated for community-led change because she thinks it is useless to try to improve conditions for slum residents if the beneficiaries are not participating.
“We must recognize the talents that exist in marginalized communities and unlock this potential to drive durable social change,” said Zeinner.
Before expanding to the slums of Kaptembwa, Kivumbini, Bondeni, and Flamingo, the facility initially focused on children from low-income communities in Baruti, Mwariki, and Ronda.
The organization, which initially only had two teachers on staff, now has 16 teachers who also mentor young people.
Ms. Zeinner stated that the overwhelming amount of students that show up for interviews but are turned away owing to the school’s inadequate facilities continues to be their largest difficulty.
Kennedy Branda, the center’s manager, said that running the establishment has been difficult but added that the success stories of the kids transformations are what motivates them.
The completion of school by underprivileged children who reside in slums, according to Mr. Branda, inspired other students to do the same.
