Since time immemorial arts have not only been used for entertainment but also to pass on countless important messages. These messages could either be positive or negative and could go a long way in developing any given community. Mathare Roots Youth Group uses the same concept to pass on different messages. We design artistic programs in connection with our mission, vision and values. These programs can range from drama, skits, poems, paintings & drawings, photography etc. Arts also help us to notice the hidden talents of many a members thus nurturing them to even greater heights. We also use arts to encourage activeness within the group and the community at large. This also at times leads to income to the group and the individuals involved in the programs.

Concerts

They say “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy “. Mathare Roots truly believes in this saying thus once in a while we hold concerts in our neighborhood to share a message or two. Concerts are a vital platform for any message to be promoted and shared. These events also encourage the youth to not only learn something at the end of the day, but also have fun doing it. Concerts are always an expensive affair with all the planning, mobilization and costs, but we totally enjoy organizing them and it’s our hope to have at least two big concerts every year.

With the right topics and support from our current and future partners, we wish our goals in this area would be realised. November 28th, 2009 (Pamoja Tumalize Tofauti Concert – My Society, Your Society) was a huge success as we were tackling ‘Social Inequalities’ a topic that affects all and sundry irrespective of your background, race, religion and all those issues that define our originality. This was a partnership between ‘Action Beyond Limits’ - a group of University students and young professionals, and of course Mathare Roots and other local and international partners.

Exchange Program

The youth group organizes a hike at least once a year. The hike normally takes place at the Ngong Hills not very far away from the Nairobi city. The intentions of hiking consist of exercise, change of environment, team building, trial of one’s talent and hobby, and a relaxing and very funny experience. After climbing to the highest peak, we have some food and drinks whilst singing, dancing and story telling. It is really an activity worth participating in.

Workshops

As people who are dependable in the community we have to learn and be updated all the time. To see that we are up to date in what is going around us and the whole world, we organize workshops which can both be a one day, a one weekend or a one week event; whereby we invite some lecturers who train us on different issues including business management, first aid skills, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and the list goes on. Apart from being taught we also organize workshops whereby we train other youth organizations and the community as a whole-for instance mid last year we held a very successful and effective R.C. (Re-Evaluation Counseling) in mathare slums that we invited different youth groups from other areas in Nairobi. The participants were very happy and are looking forward for another workshop. At times we have these workshops away from our neighborhood where we spend a weekend or the whole week. Other times we just have them in mathare where it is more convenient for a majority of concerned participants.

Clean Up

We normally organize clean-ups atleast twice per month in the Mathare Slums. These activities are not only meant to scoop away the dirt and clear the drainage systems, but also to sensitize and offer guidance on the best way to deal with our environment.

We also invite different partners to come and join us while we try and tackle the ever elusive friendly environment.

Mentorship

While we were growing up, been ‘gangsta’, ‘rudeboy’ or just ‘rebel’ was the coolest thing. As any other ghetto, Mathare was and  is still full of guns, drugs and eventually leading to crime.

Consequently, most of us were one way or the other involved in these vices and some of our childhood friends never really had a chance to see today.

As a people who wants nothing else but to see the best come from our community, we endeavour to brake that chain of ‘same ol same ol”.
We would like our younger brothers and sisters to have an insight to what they might be getting themselves into and to realise they can use their energies positively and in deed later on succeed in life. T

his program offers no solutions, but plain guidance to young girls and boys who feel they should be guided and view us as not only as their older siblings but also as their role models. The program is mainly meant for pupils in upper primary schools as well as high school students.

Adolescent Health

Mathare Roots Youth Group believes that adolescence is the most vital point in ones life due to the fact that it can either make or break ones entire future. All in all, there is a need to put the record straight for once and for all so that the young ones can make informed decisions that will eventually shape-up their good future.

After doing a thorough research in the Mathare slums and its environs, we have realised that adolescence is one point in life which is mostly ignored by both the authorities and the community at large. No one really seems to care about the adolescents and their health. Due to this fact and others not mentioned herewith, we realised that there is an urgent need to educate and sensitize the adolescents on issues affecting them health wise.

This program is designed to mainly work with the non-formal schools in the Mathare Slums and its environs. For the moment, we intend to work with the main six schools and then we can increase the number according to the outcome of our set calendar of events and resources at our disposal. The reason as to why we chose to work with these schools is the fact that non-formal schools are the ones mostly shown a blind eye by the relevant authorities and most of the children there are not exposed to the right media i.e. TV, Magazines, Books, Computers etc.  So we intend to come in to try and see that these young boys and girls are well empowered and equipped with the right information and educative materials.

Our implementation plan is to train our own members who eventually will be holding discussion sessions with our targeted adolescents. Their main work is to offer guidance rather than plainly teaching. But in some cases they ought to differentiate facts from myths for the benefit of the class.

The sports’ leader is expected to organize sporting events in and out of the slum. The sports vary from outdoor to in door games. They take place in both mathare and other areas where we play friendly matches with other youth organizations. We also treat ourselves with swimming, basketball and soccer amongst other sports where we visit a nearby swimming pool or a sport centre. Sport is a means to promote togetherness, friendliness, team building, one’s hobby and talent, and mingling with people from different cultural aspects, thus learning and achieving different virtues. - Football o Football Clinics o Football Club - Basketball o Basketball Clinics o Basketball Club