The Msomeshe Mtoto Project is a powerful partnership between the Marejan Foundation and Beacon of Hope, working together to strengthen early childhood education across informal settlements in Nairobi and Kajiado Counties, including Mukuru, Kangemi, and Ongata Rongai.
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared vision: to ensure that every child learns in a safe, healthy, and dignified environment where access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is not a privilege, but a standard.
The project currently supports 33 ECDE centres, directly benefiting 3,012 children, including 1,555 girls and 1,457 boys. These numbers reflect a growing impact that goes beyond access to education—it reflects improved well-being, stronger learning environments, and renewed community confidence in ECDE centres.
Strengthening WASH for Healthier Learning Environments
In many ECDE centres across Mukuru, Kangemi, and Ongata Rongai, children have long faced challenges linked to limited access to clean water and sanitation. Through this partnership, schools are being transformed with improved sanitation facilities, handwashing stations, and access to clean water.
These interventions have significantly improved hygiene practices in schools. Learners now practice regular handwashing, classrooms are cleaner, and the risk of hygiene-related illness has reduced, leading to better attendance and improved concentration in class.
Restoring Dignity and Supporting Inclusive Learning
A key outcome of the WASH improvements has been the restoration of dignity, especially for young girls. Safe and improved sanitation facilities have created a more comfortable learning environment, supporting consistent attendance and active participation in school activities.
Families across Mukuru, Kangemi, and Ongata Rongai are increasingly trusting ECDE centres as safe spaces where children are protected, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive.
Enhancing Learning Through Supplies and Teaching Support
Beyond WASH, the partnership also strengthens classroom learning by providing essential educational materials such as Cheza boxes, learning charts, and teaching aids. These resources have made learning more interactive and engaging, supporting early cognitive development and classroom participation.
Teachers are also better equipped to deliver creative and child-centred lessons that improve foundational learning outcomes.
Improving Infrastructure Through Classroom Construction
The partnership between Marejan Foundation and Beacon of Hope also extends to supporting classroom construction and improvement in selected ECDE centres. These developments have helped reduce overcrowding, improve safety, and create more structured learning environments for young children.
Combined with WASH improvements and learning materials, these infrastructure upgrades are transforming ECDE centres into more holistic spaces for early childhood development.
Building Healthier Habits and Stronger Communities
Teachers have been trained to integrate hygiene education into daily routines, ensuring that WASH practices become part of the school culture. As a result, children are developing lifelong habits of cleanliness and responsibility, while schools report reduced illness-related absenteeism and improved participation.
A Growing Impact Across Communities
Across Mukuru, Kangemi, and Ongata Rongai, the impact of this partnership is visible in cleaner schools, healthier children, and more engaged classrooms. Communities are increasingly confident in ECDE centres as safe and supportive environments for early learning.
Building the Foundation for the Future
The Marejan Foundation–Beacon of Hope partnership continues to demonstrate that when organizations come together with a shared purpose, meaningful transformation is possible. By integrating WASH, learning materials, and infrastructure development, the Msomeshe Mtoto Project is not only improving current learning conditions but also building a stronger foundation for future generations.
In Mukuru, Kangemi, and Ongata Rongai, this partnership is shaping more than schools—it is shaping brighter, healthier futures for every child.
