Juja is a poor slum area situated 30 km northeast of Nairobi, where the needs are great. Since no other registered NGO:s are currently working in Juja, our support is very important for the development in this area. Due to our partnership with one of the local schools, Gachororo Primary School, we can effectively reach many children and youth and support their personal development and schooling. Our goal is to enable these youth and children to learn and develop while participating in a variety of extra-curricular activities, listening to lectures and receiving help with homework and support from our youth leaders. We also work to prevent that they get involved in crime and destructive life styles and take them off the streets.
 
Close to the Gachororo School, we have a facility called “Ingemar Ericsson’s Center” that offers a library and six computers, as well as several study rooms where children can find a comfortable place to learn, and also develop their computer skills with the support from peers and youth leaders. Johan Adelswärd and Catarina Amneus have donated the money necessary to purchase these computers. We have also received a number of musical instruments that we use daily in our “El Sistema” school, where music is taught and used as an important tool for social development. We work closely with El Sistema in Sweden and due to an exchange project supported by the Swedish Institute our music teacher's have received training through El Sistema in Sweden. A few leaders went to Sweden to participate in El Sistema's trainings, others were trained when staff from El Sistema in Sweden visited Juja. Currently, regular trainings are also being conducted through skype.
 
Furthermore, we have also been able to support the Gachororo school with the renovation of two classrooms, that we can use for our extra-curricular activities. And we are also welcome to use the school grounds for a number of sports activities in the afternoons as well as in the weekends. During Saturday and Sunday, Pendo Amani offers soccer training for children and youth ranging from kindergarten to high school. Hundreds of children participate in these trainings and many leaders have developed from the group, growing with responsibility and receiving leadership training. Besides the benefits of getting together for exercise and fellowship, we have recognized that these trainings are also a great way of fostering good leaders and working to create democratic platforms and spaces in Juja's civil society.   

Due to the activities we provide in Juja, many vulnerable children can avoid the streets in the afternoons and during weekends and holidays, where they easily become victims of crime or risk to get involved in criminality. Instead, these children can learn to express themselves in creative ways and enjoy sports, dance, music and interesting lectures. They build confidence and strong friendships and have the opportunity to meet positive role models and youth leaders, who can also help them with their homework, as well as their personal development in general. Furthermore, there are also discussion groups that focus on topics like social development, leadership and how you can improve your own life  in various ways. We wish to provide the children with the tools necessary to transform their personal lives, as well as their society, to create a better world for themselves and their families!

Currently, our activities in Juja reach more than 900 children!