Partner since: August 2004

Statement of Purpose: Offering care and support to those with no hope in the Kayole slum of Nairobi. Mother’s Concern assists orphans, in particular young girls who are often the primary caregivers for their entire family. Mother’s Concern is a community-based organization of 150 women living in the Kayole slum of Nairobi. Half of the members are under the age of 21, yet most are heads of households. All told, they support over 160 dependents.

Mother’s Concern provides livelihood training to its female members through income-generating activities, namely beadwork, jewelry production, and tailoring. Profits from these microenterprises are reinvested in Mother’s Concern to expand its group lending schemes and funding for the education of dependents. Mother’s Concern strives to improve the education and income potential of group members so that they can in turn invest resources and knowledge into the community of Kayole slum in Nairobi.

Needs/Beneficiaries: Mother’s Concern provides job training in the hopes of providing a better future for orphans and preventing the prostitution of young girls.

Income Generating Activities:

• Beaded jewelry and bowls
• Tailoring – hats and scarves
• Micro-loan scheme for members
• Juice production
• Street food kiosks and mobile food-sellers
• Recycled plastic bag purses

Impacts: Mother’s Concern’s has provided hundreds of vulnerable women with business and life skills training. Each year, over 240 more women pass through Immaculate’s training programs.

Testimonial: All of our members are female. We are giving them an option to stay out of prostitution. The local community has recognized us, and we try to give back at least ¼ of our profits to other community-based organizations. We hope to continue to expand our job training programs. – Immaculate Mwangi