The Zuri Foundation

Mission statement

To assist young people in Kenya to break the cycle of poverty into which they are born.

Key Facts

Established in 2011, registered in the UK as a small charity in 2012
It is estimated that one billion people worldwide live in slums, with this figure set to double by 2030.
The Zuri Foundation works with grassroots organisations in the slums within Kenya to empower youth.
Successfully fund raised to bring 10 young people from Mathare slum to the UK for a 3 week trip in 2013
2020 We are fundraising to help vulnerable communities in East Africa fight against COVID19. Please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/HelpfightCOVID19inEastAfrica

Our story so far…

The Zuri Foundation was started in March 2011 by Helen, Kathleen and Jeffs. Inspired by the many young people they have worked with in the slums in and around Nairobi they started fundraising to help young people in Kenya achieve their full potential and break the cycle of poverty they are born into through education and employment.

Our aims and objectives:

Poverty alleviation and economic empowerment in Kenya and Uganda
To make a positive and long term impact on the lives of some of East Africa’s poorest people
To promote the engagement of young people from disadvantaged back grounds or communities into employment
To assist small craft producer groups to maximise their workshop potential and profits which in turn creates more employment for youths
To enable individual young people to gain access to education in Kenya; pre-school, primary and secondary

We will achieve our goals by working in partnership with local NGOs, charities and youth employment workshops within Kenya. This is made possible by the experience and contacts of our trustees, a number of whom work directly with these organisations and have done since 2003. By getting as many people as possible involved in the UK we will build up long term support for projects in Kenya.

Our Successes!

10 young people from Mathare slum visited the UK in 2013 for a 3 week trip. They had the opportunity to preform and showcase their talent a wide range of events. They were hosted by local families in Liverpool and York. This project was in partnership with Shared Earth, a fair trading company, based in York. Kathleen Scanlan and Jeremy Piercy walked across Britain in order to raise funds! Walk against Crime website has lots of great photos documenting this amazing journey from Mathare to York and Liverpool!
Sponsorship of 3 young children’s education and 1 teenager’s education which has now been completed. The Zuri Foundation website provides all the information for you to start sponsoring a child’s education and change someone’s life today.
Youth employment workshop, Xcel Concepts, in Kibera, has been able to purchase its own land and workshop via funds raised by The Zuri Foundation. Further funds enabled the workshop to install a safe and legal electricity supply.