Community Center
Outside of our school gates, we’re ensuring the entire community thrives. Our Malaika Community Center, opened in 2013 in partnership with FIFA, provides a hub of learning for over 5,000 youth and adults each year. From free literacy and vocational education to sports programs and regular access to the internet, we’re empowering lives from the ground up.
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Football is a core element of community life: it has the power to unite people and cultivate a sense of belonging and collaboration. Our Sport for Social Good program uses sports to teach young people about everyday issues, from HIV/AIDS to gender equality and conflict. We’ve even developed a football game that teaches youth about the environment, with cones representing environmental hazards!
Children in the village get ready to practise their football skills!
Practice makes perfect! Youth fine-tune their technique in preparation for community-wide football matches.
Sport brings feelings of euphoria, team spirit, and empowerment to both young and old.
The center sparks friendships that go on to stand the test of time.
Even adults get involved in sporting activities! At the heart of the center lies a focus on community and collaboration.
We’ve created a fun game where cones represent environmental hazards, teaching youth about the importance of protecting our planet.
We believe no one should be defined by age or gender: what’s important is that we all work together to create a brighter future for ourselves and others.
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Our Nzuri Thread program teaches mothers about embroidery and sewing skills. Women attend regular workshops to learn about design concepts, screenprinting, beading—and even financial literacy—in order to create their very own bags as part of our Mama Ya Mapendo (Mothers With Love) initiative.
Mothers participating in our Nzuri Thread program learn how to use a sewing machine.
It all starts with an idea on a piece of paper! Drawing is a critical skill in the design phase.
Our mothers even make high-quality school uniforms for the girls!
At Malaika, we’re not only empowering the lives of our girls, but we’re bringing economic opportunities to adults and the wider community, too.
Sewing and embroidery is a fun, meditative, and collaborative process.
Our Community Center programs are creating jobs, encouraging entrepreneurship, and allowing families to provide for themselves and their community.
Noella, our fearless leader, visits the Community Center on a regular basis, spending time with both youth and adults, and exploring how we can improve upon the center’s offerings.
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We always listen to our community and adapt our programs based on their needs. We offer classes to out of school youth and adults. Our New Beginnings program supports the education of local youth by paying tuition fees and providing uniforms and supplies.
Mathematics is integral to so many career paths. Individuals across the village are discovering the intricacies, history, and role of math as a problem-solving tool.
Ensuring that learning is innovative and modern is critical to cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and equipping individuals for the future. Our center provides computer training and access to the Internet.
Our literacy classes focus on reading, writing, and speaking, with an emphasis on both English and French.
Sometimes, there’s just enough time to squeeze in some in-between-class reading!
Computer science has become a universal language. That’s why we make sure that technology is not only available, but central to many of our classes.
Carpentry workshops equip individuals with the skills and technique to craft their very own furniture.
School
Today, over 50 million girls in Sub-Saharan Africa are out of school. First opening its doors in 2011, the Malaika School provides a free primary and secondary education to 400 girls.
Water & Health Projects
Dirty water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene habits play a major role in child mortality. We’ve built life-saving, essential infrastructure for the community at large.
Agriculture
A lack of information around nutrition is one of the key challenges facing communities around the world. At Malaika, we’re spreading knowledge, tools, and tips, and leading by example.