Everlyne, Board of LBI, delivered a baby on Christmas day. We wish he would be a symbol of hope in Korogocho for sustainable future. Best hope, good health, peace and wishes for the New Year from Korogocho!

'Planting trees: seeds, peace and hope' is a slogan for LBI Greenbelt Movement in Korogocho. As a conclusion of 2017, children, women and CEWs (Community Environment Workers) in Korogocho joins the 2017 last activity of LBI for sustainable community. Asante sana for everybody in Korogocho, supporters and donors of LBI. Have a Happy New Year!!!

LBI had Christmas Charity Event with around 150 pupils at Amani Education Center. We enjoyed this special momentum with songs and dancing! Children received the present (clothes), sugar cookies, popcorn and soda. Christmas is the day for all the children in the world. It is so happy to share a lot of good smiles with them on special occasion. Merry Christmas to all the children from Korogocho!!!!

LBI will have a Christmas Charity Event for Children on 23rd of December at Amani Education Center in Korogocho. This is the LBI annual event. Presents, sodas and snacks are given to children. All the children in Korogocho are welcome!! Karibu sana!!!

Teachers from Amani (Peace) Education Center completed the one-week training program at ACEF (Africa Children Education Fund) in Embu. Hon. Shiojiri, representative of ACEF distributed a certificate to each trainee. Teachers now can manage their classes at the school with confidence. This is the excellent program by excellent teachers at ACEF Primary School, the best school in Embu County. Asante sana for everyone!!

The primary School at ACEF(Africa Children Education Fund) , the best school with the highest scores of KCPE 2017 in Embu, provides a special training session to LBI teachers of Amani Education Center. LBI teachers learn teaching method and approach in each subject and how to prepare professional documents for primary education. This is an intense and high quality training program. Asante sana for excellent program and teachers of the primary school at ACEF!

LBI made the presentation on the project of the holistic approach and activities to environment education for establishing a recycling-oriented society based on community school actions in Korogocho slum, supported by Global Environment Fund of Japan, at Tokyo International Exhibition Center. Thanks for your participation and meaningful feedback to us!

Congratulations to all the pupils at Amani Education Center!! We sincerely wish you would be able to find a gratifying future. 
This is also a delightful moment and great appreciation to all the donors and teachers. This year's result of the national examination K.C.P.E. is excellent despite of a chain of challenges associated with slum. It reached the highest mark, 337/500, at the history of Amani Education Center. Our children managed good marks that can take them to good public high schools. Asante sana for everyone!!

LBI women group (Korogocho Smart Women Group) is promoting an Eco-Bag project for adapting to a new regulation in Kenya: a plastic bag ban for reducing plastic pollution in collaboration with African Children Education Fund (ACEF). By using recycling materials like Kanga, the project tries to produce a Eco-friendly, fashionable and convenient bag for shopping. It successfully attracts much attention from the market now. Eco-Bag project is a very practical and valuable tool for environment oriented income generating activity for women group in Korogocho.

Korogocho Greenbelt is a community collective green action for environment conservation and grass-roots adaptation on climate change. Although security is a bit challenge in the informal settlement at this time, LBI actions continuously show community power for peace and green. Asante sana for all the participants!!

Many volunteers and Karanja-san, LBI Ambassador and PhD student of Tsukuba University, supported the 2nd day of Global Festival for promoting LBI actioins in Korogocho among public in the venue. In addition, 'Crouton', a girls unit, also joined LBI as a special volunteer. They contributed to sales of all the bags that women group produces and some T-shirts with around 1000 brochures in the event. Thanks for everyone and many visitors to LBI booth during the festival. We shared wonderful experience. Asante sana!

The global festival is one of the largest event for promoting international cooperation in Japan as a global citizen. The first day for the LBI booth activity successfully finished with support of volunteers and guests. Thanks for all and see you tomorrow!

Community empowerment is based on mobilization and motivation at grass-roots level. LBI leaders always successfully are promoting it for sustainable actions in Korogocho. Planting trees is plating seeds for hope. Around 50 community people and pupils from Amani Education Center joined the movement in this September. Asante sana for community empowerment!

One of the serious environment problems in Korogocho is waste management. LBI promotes the recycle circulation in the community by separating plastic garbage from burnable garbage in cooperation with women groups. It is a good sustainable community model project for preventing pollution from waste. However, the use of plastic bags is prohibited in Kenya from this September. We have to find alternative solution for creating sustainable community.

This August is a hard time for people living in informal settlements of Kenya due to political turbulence. LBI continues to slum people in Korogocho in spite of security challenges. Asante sana for community friends and LBI leaders to promote actions for bringing a　valuable asset to livelihoods in slum. Greenbelt activity is a core for collective actions for sustainable development in korogocho.

You have the responsibility to protect your children, bright future for Korogocho even in a tough time. Please do not allow political turbulence and violence to intervene in the life of your beloved neighbors, friends and family. LBI always trust our friends, comrades adn community in Kenya from the bottom of our heart.

To address the need of nutrition for children in informal settlements, LBI is promoting a feeding program for all the children at Amani Education Center in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation System. The school is now in a break sessions due to presidential election in Kenya. We sincerely hope we will be able to see smile of all the children without any involvement of troubles in political turbulence.
Asante sana.

One of the goals of LBI is to establish recycle-oriented community for sustainable development in informal settlements. LBI mobilizes community people to collect plastic garbage, unburnable waste, separating from burnable stuffs with women volunteer group for the purpose. This is a good community collective green action!

Korogocho greenbelt movement is a community collective action for greening environment. Even though there is insecure situation on political election season in informal settlements, LBI promote the action of cultivating a seed of peace in Korogocho! Asante sana!

In this March, LBI completed the construction of the first floor for the new building of Amani Education Center, community school for children in Korogocho slum, informal settlement in cooperation with the Japan international cooperation fund. Now children can concentrate on their study. LBI has a plan for constructing of the 2nd floor in 2017. Asante sana for all the supports!

Norway team on NGO activities came to Korogocho for observing our women group activities in last week. This is the first step. We hope they can sustain their interests and concern on our empowerment activities. Thank you & Asante sana!!

Go, Founder of LBI, was invited to be a lecturer on climate change issues in Africa at Environment Partnership Iwate. All the participates showed a strong concern on the implementation scheme of Paris Agreement without US and vulnerability of adaptation and mitigation strategy against the adverse effect of climate change in Africa. Asante sana for everyone of Iwate!!

2017 LBI Annual Meeting had done with approvals from many supporters. This is the 5th financial year for LBI actions. We are so glad to initiate many tangible projects for Korogocho community in sustainable manners! Asante sana! 

LBI is promoting the production of school bags by recycling the waste materials from the jeans factory in Nairobi as an income generating activities for women in Korogocho, especially single mothers and patient infected with HIV since 2013. The number of bags produced by LBI reaches the average 100 bags monthly for making benefits for the women's group of LBI, the Korogocho Smart Women Group. It is the model of community business with the environmental concept of recycling!

LBI enforces the education program for community environmental leaders since 2015 as CEWs workshops. Every time, around 30 to 40 CEWs participate in the workshop for learning how to manage the community environmental resource with grass roots actions.Good job for CEWs!

LBI held the open meeting on environment projects at JICA Earth Square in Tokyo on 12 April, 2017.
Participants provided many meaningful questions in the session such as "Why is environmental approach beneficial to poverty reduction?" and "How does LBI successfully motivate the people in the community for environment actions?".
In addition, three high school students supported the reception as volunteers for the meeting. It was a valuable time with tangible feedback for the project. Thank you so much for all the participants and volunteers!!

LBI is promoting a plastic collection for sustainable waste management in Korogocho in every Wednesday morning with 15 volunteers. A plastic garbage is really harmful to the community environment. We believe it is a small action but a big step toward the sustainable community!

LBI constructed a new building with two toilets and a water tank for Amani Education Center because of improving the capacity building for providing more quality education to over 300 pupils in Korogocho. A water tank ensures the sanitation for pupils but theses days, Kenya is suffering water shortage because of the adverse effect of climate change. The price of water and foods are soaring, too. LBI is advancing for addressing various issues in informal settlements. Go for it!!

LBI implemented a planting trees action on this Saturday. 
Greenbelt movement is a community collective green action with well selected and adequate species of trees for preserving of the biological diversity and eco-system service of the community. The loss and fragmentation of habitats are believed to have the largest impact among the factors which cause the loss of biodiversity. In addition to the protection of natural ecosystems, our immediate natural environments and even green spaces can be precious habitats for locally occurring organisms, if they are managed by taking biodiversity into consideration. Harmonization with surrounding natural environments and the creation of ecosystem networks lead to less fragmented habitats, and therefore they also contribute to achieving Aichi Target 5.
Let's go for biodiversity and greening community in Korogocho!
Twende!

LBI promotes the waste management for recycling in one block in Korogocho as a model. 15 women Volunteers work for collecting plastics in the waste site at around 7 am on every Wednesday since last September. Community waste management is a key to produce clean community. Thank you for our volunteers!!

LBI is promoting greening community actions with community people including pupils from Amani Education Center and CEWs every month. Greening empowers community people for the bottom up! This is Korogocho Greenbelt movement!

This is the 16th of the seminar in Korogocho. "Mottainai" Environment seminar is one the original actions since 2013 of LBI. It opens to everybody in community for sharing priceless concept for environment including 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), green buiness, biodiversity and climate change together for susutainable development in Korogocho. Asante sana for lecturers from ACEF (African Children Education Fund) and all the participants. "Mottainai" is a big keyword in Krogocho now!

LBI opens the Environment seminar for encouraging community people to promote sustainable environment movement in Korogocho and Community Environment　through mainstreaming of BD based on UN decade on Biodiversity. This time it focuses on the climate justice and the value of BD in the community actions with CEWs for effectively implementing waste management in Korogocho. That is the part of beneficial circulation for sustainability. Let’s song a “Mottainai” song together!!

CEWs (Community Environment Workers) are a core for environment actions at community. To evaluate the fixing of the knowledge on environment the education program, they took the evaluation test!

LBI holds the environmental class for children at Amani Education Center in collaboration with Head Teacher Micheal on every Wednesday. This time, students are challenging the achievement test. They are going to get good scores!

LBI concentrates on growing up around 100 Community Environment Workers (CEWs) as community environment leaders from 2015. in this month, the evaluation test was conducted for measuring the level of their understanding on environment agenda as climate change and biodiversity. CEWs are core for sustainable community projects. Asante sana!

Annual Report (Accounting Report) 2016 was successfully submitted to NGO Co-ordination Board at Kenya. It was done! The fourth year for LBI is kicked off!

NGO Saidia Furaha that has managed the school for orphans for around 20 years gives us tons of cloths for children in Korogocho.They show a good role model for children education in Africa. Thanks for your cooperation and support always. Asante sana!!

Feeding program is a key to enforce health condition for pupils. Especially, in urban settlements, the vulnerability in nutritious balance for preventing sound growth of children is a critical matter.
The school managed by Africa Children Education Fund at Embu in Kenya is providing a good model school for sustaining sound growth of children. We monitored the feeding program for learning the nutrition strategy for school children with Florence, LBI Chair and Head Teacher Micheal at Amani Education Center. This will lead to the next step for improving health status for children in Korogcho.

LBI held the "Mottnainai" Environment Seminar at Korogocho Community Hall on 21st, inviting Africa Children Education Fund as lecturers. This time focuses on mainstreaming of biodiversity and waste management based on3R (Reduce Reuse and Recycle) with around 100 community people. Environment is a key for sustainable community development. Asante sana for all the participants and ACEF.

～Let’s Learn 4R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect) concepts based on “Ｍｏｔｔａｉｎａｉ” philosophy　
Supported by Japan Fund for Global Environment 
(※”Mottainai” is a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste)
LBI opens the Environment seminar for encouraging community people to promote sustainable environment movement in Korogocho and Community Environment　through mainstreaming of BD based on UN decade on Biodiversity. Workers (CEWs) take initiative of green actions for ensuring community ecosystems service. This time focuses on the road map for mainstreaming of BD in Korogocho with the knowledge of waste management. That is the part of beneficial circulation for sustainability. Let’s song a “Mottainai” song together!!
Date & Time: 10:00 to 13:00, 21th(Sat) January, 2017
Place : Korogocho Community Center
Lecturer: NGO African Children Education Fund

LBI encourages community people to join greenbelt movement under the initiative of Prof. Wangari Mathaai for greening community as an adaptation and mitigation action against climate change at community level. This is the first action for 2017. Go Green Korogocho!

The term from 2011 to 2020 is UN Decade on Biodiversity. LBI is setting the road map to disseminate and promote Biodiversity in Kenya for ecosystem service conservation for sound environment development in collaborating with Mr. Richard from KOAN, a leading organization on mainstreaming of biodiversity in Kenya. The road map is powerful tool to measure the degree of biodiversity based on the combination of SDGs and Aichi Target.

January is the first month of a new academic calendar. Renewal and brand-new textbooks come to children at Amani Education Center. Everyone is so happy with its own textbooks. 
Thank you so much for The Japan International Cooperation Foundation!

"Mottainai" Seminar is an axis of community environment actions for leaning the importance of green community through the lecture of waste management and 3R practices and climate change and biodiversity. The 14th seminar was held on 22nd of December in 2016 with around 100 participants, supported by African Children Education Fund (ACEF). Asante sana for everyone!

This year, LBI still keep on running for sustainable future for the community with community people, women, children and our devoted staffs. Asante sana for your kind understanding, vaulable cooperation and passionate support for LBI actions 2017!

LBI is energetically and passionately promoting Greenbelt Movement for conserving ecosystem in Korogocho with community children and community people. Biodiversity actions at community level is a driving force for greening environment for sustainable future. Asante sana for everyone. Have a happy new year!

Ms. Matsumoto, a wonderful supporter to LBI and CEO of SWEET STRAWBERRY AFRICA LIMITED, brought a lot of bottles of sweet and healthy straberry jam and cabbages produced by organic farming to Amani Education Center for children. Thank you so much!!

LBI distributed the report on the community environment activities in public at COP13 for promoting mainstreaming of BD. 
In order to involve more people in activities that contribute to biodiversity conservation, various groups of people need to deepen their understanding of the value of the biodiversity. Biodiversity has a cultural value, a value as a component of the living environment, and an economic value (CBD, 2016). The existence of diverse life forms is in itself valuable. Deepening understanding of the various values of biodiversity is important. Civil society can contribute to achieving Aichi Biodiversity Targets (Aichi Targets) by conducting education activities and initiating community collective environment actions on biodiversity. It is important for civil society to disseminate information about their activities to the public. 
(Please check LBI report on the web page!)

More than 120 pupils joined the event with soda, snacks, cookies and Christmas presents (T-shirts)! We enjoyed songs and dances together. Christmas is the day for all the children. Merry Christmas to all of children in Korogocho!!

The slums, informal sectors, are challenging various issues. Especially, the issues of "rape" is so sensitive that it is tough to discuss in the public places. The students share wonderful perspective and sincere comments on the issues with me. Gender education and public open discussion is crucial to eradicate the issue. Many voice at the university enhances the motivation to address the challenges in the slum. 
Muchas grascias for all the participants and your active contribution!!

NGO - Little Bees International
Urban Settlement actions for empowerment of women and children in Kenya

Many volunteers energetically supported the booth activities of LBI. The first day was a bit rainy day but they looked so cheerful for promoting LBI actions in the festival. In fact, the day reached the record sails of the LBI bags that was made by women group including HIV victims and single mothers!!
Many thanks for your contribution!!

Global Festival is annual event, the largest one on international cooperation in Japan. So many people visited LBI booth and LBI backs of women group was sold out!!
Many thanks for all the visitors and volunteers!!!
Asante sana!

LBI promotes Korogocho Greenbelt movement, paying homage to the green actions of Prof. Wangari Mathaai, the Nobel peace laureate. More than 50 community people from the women group and the community school. Go green for Korogocho!!

Global Festival is one of the largest festival in Japan on international cooperation. LBI will run a booth for exhibiting activities in Kenya and is recruiting volunteers for supporting booth activities. Please contact LBI office by email (the address is littlebees@littlebeesinternational.org ) if you are interested in it. Let's join the exciting actions at the festival!!

CEW workshops reached the anniversary for one year. LBI continues to practicing CEW (community environment workers) workshops for educating core community persons for environment projects! In the second year, the workshops focus more on acquiring practical environmental knowledge and experience with a brand new textbook.

LBI set the education training program for volunteer teachers in Amani Education Center in collaboration with Africa Children Education Fund (ACEF) that manages one of the best primary school in Embu county. The training program is indispensable for improving quality education at Amani Education Center. Many thanks for ACEF and our beloved volunteer teachers!!

Members from Japan Somalia Youth Organization (JSYO) joined LBI forum at TICAD 6 in order to discuss issues with Dr. Shukaria and Mr. Ahmed. JSYO is one of the largest, tangible and excellent youth organization in Japan. Dr. Shukrina, one of the honorable panelists, looks so good to meet able youth in the forum. Thanks so much for your participation!!

Mr. Kato, JICA Senior Special Advisor, contributed to LBI Side Event in TICAD6.
"Conglaturation to successful event for LBI. TICAD is open-place for discussing various issues on Africa development, which is based on co-partnership with UN, the World Bank and AU. It brings much advantage to the platform, compared with other formats of Africa development discussion by EU, US, China and India. The presence of Civil Society in TICAD should not be ignored as a stakeholder for better society in Africa. Shall we make effort to take practical and tangible actions together for better future for Africa."

TICAD VI is a valuable momentum for discussion on the issues of Africa development and the future perspective with multi-stakeholders from various sectors. LBI coordinated the discussion on "Resiliency in Africa community" in cooperation with UNEP, Red Cross, JICA, the government of Kenya, SDG consultant and NGOs supported by JICA. What is resiliency in African community? What are challenges for community people. What is a good practice of DRR? The session enjoyed the fruitful momentum with excellent panelists and participants.
Thank you so much for TICAD VI in giving us precious chance, all the active participants and honorable guests!!

Kenyan Boards meets Japanese Boards at TICAD VI!

Asante sana for a good collaboration!!

“Enhancing resiliency of the slum community in Africa for sustainable development”

"Mottainai" Environment Seminar is always a popular content in Korogocho. As usual, the community hall was full of people for acquiring good knowledge from lecturers from ACEF and Koan (Kenya Organic Agriculture Network).

LBI holds "Mottainai" Environment Seminar since 2014 in order to promote environment awareness in the slum community in cooperation with Africa Children Education Fund (ACEF). This time focuses on creating effective waste management system and the meaning of organic farming.
Everybody is welcome!!

Dr. Noda, an eye doctor, presented a lot of stationary to children at Amani Education Center. On the final day of the school academic term, teachers presented them to pupils. They looks so happy to receive the presents from her. Asante sana for Dr. Noda!!

Even though the weather is a bit chilly in Kenya, community people are so active to promote planting trees action in Korogocho. As usual, more than 50 pupils and people to join this action!

Porridge is a very famous Kenyan food made of Soya and Finger Millet. The Soya is provided by Alphajiri limited managed by Ms. Yakushigawa, the former JOCV. 
Children loves the porridge so much!

LBI launched the school construction project from just yesterday. 
The 2nd day is to focus on digging and setting the ground.
The school is the hope of children, teachers and supporters of Amani Education Center. We pray for successful completion.

LBI is supported by Global Environment Fund of Japan for two years. Women group is producing the recycling bag with the logo for showing appreciation. It is a good matching!

LBI will host the official side event on TICAD6 on African Community Resilience. Many Thanks for tangible and supporting messages for TICAD6!

LBI Ambassador Karanja-san has wide knowledge and experience on business sectors in Kenya. So he joined the consultation with the youth in Japan for promoting cooking stove for environment conservative. 
Everybody has so nice smile! 
Asante sana for the youth and Karanja-san!

Karanja-san, from Tukuba-University and UN University, is appointed as a LBI ambassador! 
He will contribute a lot to build the bridge between Kenya and Japan through LBI actions.

JICA Earth Plaza is a wonderful platform for NGO/NPO in Japan for exchanging information and human resources. LBI joined the 10th Anniversary Event with volunteers and provided a activity report by Tuchiya, a LBI new staff! 6 school bag were also purchased by our guests. Thanks so much for all volunteers, visitors and participants!

Ms. Matsumoto, one of the great supporter to LBI and the former Director of NGO CORE in Kenya, contribute her hand-made strawberry jam to Amani Education Center for improving children's nutrition in Korogocho. Strawberry Jam is full of Vitamin C and Mineral and Protein for supporting their sound growth. Thanks for your Cooperation, Ms. Matsumoto!

Korogocho's children is so lovely with wonderful heart even though their having stuck to slum environment. 

LBI held the 11th "Mottainai" Environment Seminar in Korogocho on 10th of Feburary in collaboration with ACEF (Africa Children Education Fund). The contents of the smeinar are the advantage of waste recycle management in community level, organic compost for sustainable green actions and the importance of 3R (Reuse, Recycle and Reduce). 
Many thanks for ACEF staffs and our valuable participants!

LBI Korogocho Greenbelt Movement powerfully and energitically. LBI planted more than 1000 trees in from 2015-2016 for greening the community. Let's join our movement. Twende!!

In this July, Hiroshima city gave LBI a wonderful present of seeds of Aogiri, survivor of atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima, 1945. Now, the seeds are growing up with community people in Korogocho slum as a symbol of peace and friendship between Japan and Kenya. It is a hope of community. Thanks, Joshua, a community environmentalist!

～Let’s Learn 4R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect) concepts based on “Ｍｏｔｔａｉｎａｉ” philosophy　
Supported by Japan Fund for Global Environment 
（※”Mottainai” is a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste
LBI opens the Environment seminar for encouraging community people to promote sustainable environment movement in Korogocho and Community Environment Workers (CEWs) to take initiative of green actions. This time focuses on the measures to promote the use of composting buckets for sustainable waste management in the community. Let’s song a “Mottainai” song together!!
Date & Time: 10:00 to 13:00, 20th(Sat) February, 2016
Place : Korogocho Community Center
Lecturer: NGO African Children Education Fund
※After the seminar, LBI will conduct clean-up action around
Korogocho community center. Let’s join it!

Labor union Kanagawa is the official supporter to LBI and gives us the opportunity to make the presentation on the education projects in front of over 100 participants at the annual meeting.
It was very meaningful experience. 
Many thanks for Labor Union Kananagawa!

LBI held the core member meeting such as LBI boards, CEWs, Korogocho Smart Women Group, and Amani Education Center. LBI family is getting bigger and bigger for powerful sustainable development projects in Korogocho.

Leyla is a bright and nice girl, facing financial problem for moving to the secondary school education due to a single parent. LBI Hope foundation decides to her with full package for her secondary school education. fortunately, she could pass the KCPE and acquire the confirmation letter from public school supported with the recommendation from ACEF (African Children Education Fund). Congratulation, Leyla!!

Planting trees is planting the seeds of the hope for the community. that is the key sentence for Korogocho Green belt movement. each time over 50 community people participate in our actions. IN January, we reached the big number, over 1000 trees. 

After planting trees, LBI always implement clean up actions for community. It is the community collective action!

LBI provides five computers in cooperation with NPO Class for Everybody for promoting IT education for children in Korogocho slum. This is the class video ⇒https://youtu.be/tt_J70bbJEw

LBI opens the workshops regularly a couple of times for growing up Community Environment Workers (CEWs) as a core member of grassroot community environment actions. This time, around 40 CEWs participate in the workshop for learning of sustainable community environment concepts by using Development Education Study Kit "If the World were a Village of 100 people" of Development Education Association Resource Center（DEAR).

LBI staff delivered a baby boy on 2nd of January in Kenya, was named after Go from Japan. He is fine and active now. All we wish is to have a big fortune for his life. Bless hm!!

In this week, we welcome a special guest, Mr. Abdulla, from Telesales Solar, the agent of KYOCERA, one of the largest solar power Japanese company in Kenya. Children were so excited about learning on Solar Panel system with the guest and Teacher Michael. Solar system now brings a light to Amani Education Center!!
The video of class ⇒ https://youtu.be/0TQVCPBwm9Y

This is the third time of LBI participation in SWALA Bazar at Kenya Japanese school. Many guests and friends visited LBI booth and bought our bags. Due to their warm heart and charitable spirit, LBI sold 14 bags today! We sincerely appreciate all of the guests and the host organization for contributing to LBI projects! Asante sana!

Korogocho Slum is about 10 km away from Nairobi town. Korogocho is one of the largest slums in Nairobi. Around 200,000 people live there. Mr. Takahashi, who owns an NPO called Little Bee International, guided me in Korogocho. LBI runs a school in Korogocho and has some self-reliance support projects in the slum. There was a clear entrance of the slum, and two friends of Mr. Takahashi came to pick us up to protect us just in case. Especially Japanese stand out in slum. I refrained from taking pictures.

Buildings in slum are poorly built with galvanized iron plates, stones, and mad. This is school, but it cannot be distinguished so from outside. I visited here on January 1st, so the school was close.

There are seven villages in Korogocho slum. Once entered a village, paths are narrow and it is like a maze.

Life in slum is desperately poor. There is almost no chance of employment. Many people have no other choice but to sell themselves to sustain their lives, and consequently there are many HIV-infected people. Ideally, they should start business on their own, but it is not easy. Here, LBI provides support. LBI supports especially women to be financially independent. Women learn sewing and tailoring, and obtain skills. They make bags and sell and earn money by themselves. Today, there is a Kenyan leader of this project, whose name is Florence. She gathers women in the slum and organizes the project by herself. She finds places for selling bags by herself too. Mr. Takahashi just helps them a bit today bringing some bags to Japan to sell. The bags are made of beautiful cloth called Kanga. Let me know or Mr. Takahashi if there is anyone interested in!

There are about 400 students in the school Mr. Takahashi started. Recently they purchased a new classroom, in the picture above.

This is Nairobi River. Kenya dose not have waste managing system. Therefore people dump to rivers or garbage mountains. Unless people individually hire waste collecting agent, they have to get rid of waste by themselves. Not all waste collecting agents have refuse incinerator. Some of them just go to river or garbage mountain on behalf of their clients. So, this Nairobi River is full of trash. There is a mountain in the picture below right next to a tree on the left side. That mountain is made of garbage. Politics in Kenya is often said to be corrupted, and most of Kenyans say politicians are self-centered and care about only themselves. Slums are abandoned like this by the government, but it is not a situation that can be abandoned, or it is not excusable situation to abandon.

Although, people in Korogocho slum are very tough.

It is probably sanitary fine to cook chapati here, here is their kitchen for chapati. Children play in a small space of narrow street. There are some people who lost their smile because of hardships in slum life, but they know how to live, much more than people in so called developed countries. It was just a part of a slum I saw, but I met people who are rich in spirit here.

Chapati I ate in this Korogocho slum was the best Kenyan food I had in Kenya.

 Original Essay Link

 https://universevoicemosaic.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/%E3%82%B3%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B4%E3%83%83%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%A9%E3%83%A0-korogocho-slum/

LBI promote environmental class for youth in Korogocho in collaboration with Teacher Michael and Amani Education Center for sharing grass-roots actions with pupils on every Wednesday. As Prof. Wangari Mathaai said "planting trees is planting the seed of the hope for the future", youth is the seed of the hope for Korogocho community. 
The video of "Mottainai" Song in the class 
https://youtu.be/MDGXUU-S6lI

CEW (Community Environment Workers) is a core for initializing environment projects in Korogocho. LBI targets at growing up around 40 CEW in 2015 - 2016. In January, CEW is learning the use and the advantage of renewable energy such as solar panel system. To promoting the clean of the community, CEW is working hard with LBI!

LBI is promoting Greenbelt movement in Korogocho for greening the community, following the good practice of Dr. Wangari Mathaai. Everytime, around 50 community people join this action!! It is a good collective community action.
(After green actions, people do clean up action, too!)

In the every Wednesday's afternoon, Teacher Michael from Amani Education Center has the environment class for children in Korogoho. This Wednesday is the first environment class in 2016. The pupils learn how important community promotes the use of renewable energy as a clean energy for environment conservatives. Students showed a strong interest in solar power system to prevent global warming.

Ms. Kagawa, an exchange student of the university of Nairobi, showed her interest in community development projects, especially in education fields. She had a good time with children at Amani Education Center and distributed tooth brushes presented by Dr. Mizukawa, a special donnar to LBI, to children.

Amani Education Center is a community school in Korogocho for accepting street children and orphans managed by LBI.
Based on the donation from the Japan International Cooperation Foundation, LBI presents more than new 150 textbooks to the children. Many thanks for the support of the Foundation!

This is 10th time of environment seminar in Korogocho with more than 100 participants. As usual, Ms. Molly and Mr. Linus from NGO Africa Children Education Fund (ACEF) did make a wonderful practical lecture for promoting 3R concepts for waste management with examples of how to make composting buckets for recycling garbage. all the participants was so passionate to learn them from this seminar LBI continues this seminar for sustainable community development.