GELLIFY Brightens Nairobi’s Future, Supporting Alice for Children in Transforming Slums

Nairobi is a city of contrasts, a reality where wealth and poverty merge in a complex choreography. In the suburbs of Korogocho and Dandora, thousands of people survive in extremely difficult conditions, struggling daily for a better future.

For decades, Korogocho has been in a situation of extreme discomfort due to its proximity to the Dandora landfill. There are no infrastructures such as public schools, hospitals, or community centers, no sanitation services like sewers and facilities, no water, electricity, or security. In the shacks of Korogocho, human rights do not exist. Houses are still made of sheet metal and mud, most families live in one room without toilets or clean water. The prevalence of diseases is a daily occurrence, and 25% of Korogocho residents are HIV-positive.

The "largest open-air landfill in Africa" in Dandora employs about 6,000 children as workers who, for less than a dollar a day, clean recyclable materials from waste, making them saleable. The landfill is organized by gangs in collusion with powerful groups. For those working in the landfill, there is no hope for the future. Hygienic conditions are extremely serious, and dioxin burnings and polluted air lead to infections and lung diseases. The average lifespan in the landfill is very, very low.

Thanks to the relentless commitment of the NGO Alice For Children, a glimpse of hope has lit up these forgotten corners of the African metropolis.

In total, Alice For Children currently supports about 3,000 children, mainly orphans, in extremely needy situations. The educational and training projects developed by the NGO aim to make these children self-reliant individuals, capable of facing challenges and difficulties, providing them with the future they deserve.

Dandora: a reality of despair among mountains of waste

Imagine living in a world surrounded by mountains of waste, where every day is a battle for survival. This is the reality for over 10,000 people in Dandora, and more than half of them are children.

These little warriors live in desperate hygienic conditions, forced to collect and sell recyclable materials to put food on their families' tables.

Alice For Children has dedicated years to fighting to improve the living conditions of these children. But they soon realized that to offer them a real chance for the future, they had to go beyond traditional humanitarian aid.

GELLIFY's Mission: Leveraging Technology for Social Change

As a champion of innovation and digital transformation, GELLIFY believes in using technology to forge a better world. Learning about Alice For Children's challenges in Nairobi, GELLIFY is committed to supporting the creation of a digital school in Korogocho and Dandora. This ambitious project offers computer access, internet connectivity, and quality education, equipping slum children with digital skills, language proficiency, and viable alternatives to their current harsh realities. GELLIFY provided the necessary funding, resources, and expertise to make this dream a reality.

Lighting up the future: the digital school in the suburbs of Nairobi

With the opening of the digital school, the children of Korogocho and Dandora will embark on a journey that will change their lives. They will have access not only to digital skills but also to newfound self-confidence and the opening of opportunities that seemed unreachable before.

The digital school represents a beacon of hope in a context marked by poverty and lack of prospects. Together, GELLIFY and Alice For Children demonstrate that technology can be a tool of empowerment, a key to overcoming challenges and building a better future.

While the Dandora landfill remains a grim reminder of ongoing struggles, the digital school shines as a pathway to brighter possibilities. GELLIFY and Alice For Children are scripting a narrative of hope and change in Nairobi's outskirts. Children once confined by the desolation of waste now gaze towards a horizon filled with opportunities, unlocked by the power of technology and education.

Interested in learning more or contacting the GELLIFY ambassadors involved in this mission?

Reach out to Francesca and Carlo for further information.