Kibera

Since beginning in 2004, over 18 bio centres have opened in Kibera alone. 

This map below shows many of their locations and read more to learn about the operations of them. 


Tosha I

Built in 2007, it is located in Katwekera Sarang’ombe. It is the collective work of 5 different community groups: Jasho Letu, Mapambano, Bidii Yetu, Mama Okinda, and Multi Vision. Each month it earns roughly 95,000 /= with daily users of somewhere between 600 and 1,000 people with 20 to 30 people coming per day to use the library and cybercafe. The first floor holds the toilets, and bathrooms while the second and third floor has the library, cybercafe where kids can pay 20 shillings per video game, and hall for hire. Electricity and biogas are currently in need of repair, but the facilities are available.


Nyaharwa

Closely following Tosha I in 2007, this biocenter is located nearby in Soweto West and is the vision of the Nyaharwa Self-help Group. This biocenter sees approximately 50 daily users and earns around 15,000 /= monthly. A smaller biocenter than Tosha I, activities include toilets, bathrooms, hall for hire, housing for the caretaker, and a biogas powered kitchen. 


Tosha II

Tosha II falls under the same umbrella organization as Tosha I but is owned solely by women and focuses on employing kids. It opened in 2009 in Katwekera East. Smaller than previous ones, Tosha II averages 30 users each day and earns approximately 9,500 /= each month. The biocenter has toilets, bathrooms, and currently has six rental spaces on the second floor and one on the first.


Muvi Gorofani

Another bio centre associated with Tosha I, Muvi was founded by the Multi Vision Self Help Group and built in 2009. Just a short walk from Tosha I it can be found in Katwekera Sarang’ombe. Daily users fluctuate between 150 and 300, with monthly earnings averaging 45,500 /=. Community members have access to toilets, bathrooms, football match screenings, a hall for hire, and a kitchen with biogas stoves. 


Jasho Letu

Also opening in 2009, this centre was founded by one of the original groups to create Tosha I, Jasho Letu. It is also located in Katwekera Sarang’ombe. Daily users are around 350, with monthly earnings averaging around 28,500 /=. Not only does the biocenter have toilets, bathrooms, a hall for fire, and an outside kitchen, it also has a pond nearby for sustainable fish farming. Additionally, it serves a nearby health centre and assisted in implementing a housing project for the community.

Read this blog to learn more about Jasho Letu


Bunkers

A smaller bio centre, Bunkers was opened in 2009 in Makina Ward near Kibera DC. There are roughly 30 daily users and a monthly intake of 3,800 /=. The center is a ground floor structure and provides toilets, bathrooms, and water vending.


KIDYOT

KIDYOT stands for the Kibera Kids Youth Organization, which opened the biocenter in 2010 in Katwekera and is involved in performing arts, community development, and innovation. Currently, there are about 300 daily users with the centre bringing in 50,000 /= each month. The biocenter has toilets, bathrooms, and a biogas kitchen on the first floor. There is also an office and the Innovation Center on the second floor and space for hire on the third floor. The Innovation Center is used for everything from cultural engagement such as traditional dance lessons to movie screenings to youth brainstorms attempting to fix issues within Kibra. The initiatives that have come out of this engagement have included fireproof housing to be installed in Kibra as well as a new project to develop green roofs. The group also provides a bodaboda program and loans for school fees for community members.


Nicofelli

With a goal of bringing together different ethnic groups following the 2007 election, Nicofeli Youth Club opened this bio centre in 2011 in Kianda, Kibera. There are approximately 125 daily visitors to the centre with monthly earnings upwards of 38,000 /=. The bio centre includes toilets, bathrooms, a library, a hall for hire, and a kitchen with a major focus on providing for the kids of the community through books and empowerment programs.


Stara

Stara Peace Women Organization opened this bio centre in 2010 in Kichinjio. The number of daily users fluctuates often, but the bio centre usually earns 43,000 /= each month. Beyond the normal toilets, bathrooms, offices, and hall for hire, the bio centre is home to a Posho mill as well as a local farm for community members. The second floor houses a few rental units and the top floor holds the hall for hire.


Mashimoni

This bio centre is actually a part of Mashimoni Primary School and serves the school children as well as community members. It opened in 2010 in Laina Saba. There are about 150 daily users and it earns roughly 8,200 /= monthly. It has toilets, bathrooms, offices, and a hall for hire. Additionally, one of the community group members runs a day care for local kids.


Lindi Usafi

Lindi Usafi Group opened this bio centre in 2011 in Lindi Ward in Kibera. Although there are only 30 daily users, the centre still earns more than 11,000 /= on a monthly basis. The bio centre has toilets, bathrooms, a hall for hire, as well as a nursery school during the week. 


Tosha I Bio Digester

Located in Gatwekera, this small bio centre was opened by a few members from the original Tosha I centre. It opened in 2012 as a small ground floor facility serving 60 daily users and earning 4,500 /= monthly. The bio centre houses toilets and bathrooms. 


Soweto Highrise

This bio centre opened in 2012 in Laini Saba. There are roughly 100 daily users, earning the community group 42,000 /= each month. The bio centre houses toilets, bathrooms, a hall for hire, and offices. The community organization has a strong culture of savings and investments. They have other properties that seek to provide similar services such as water and food access to their community.


Mwanzo Mpya

Opening its doors in 2012, Mwanzo Mpya is located in Laini Saba and serves 120 users each month and earns 6,250 /= monthly. The bio centre is home to toilets and bathrooms. 


PCEA

Directly connected to a church, this bio centre, located in Silanga, serves both churchgoers and community members. There are 60 daily users and the bio centre has monthly savings of over 9,500 /=. The bio centre has toilets, bathrooms, and a hall for hire. 


TOP III

This centre is seen as a champion of peace and community cohesion. Located near the District Commissioner’s offices as well as the police headquarters, this bio centre sees high volumes of traffic. Opened in 2013, there are more than 500 people who use the bio centre and it has monthly earnings of 45,000 /=. There are toilets, bathrooms, a biogas kitchen that serves the police camp, rental rooms, offices, and a hall for hire. This bio centre is also home to Umande Trust’s Kibera headquarters. 


St. Christine

One of the more recent editions, this bio centre is located in Mugumoini and opened in 2013. It is connected to St. Christine School. Mainly providing services for the school, the monthly earnings are over 3,200 /=. The bio centre has toilets, bathrooms, a biogas kitchen, rooms, offices, and a hall for hire. 


Tree Hill

This biocenter is still under construction and will be completed in the next few months. Tree Hill focuses on education, elevating women, and community-accessible sanitation. The biocenter is being built next to the Tree Hill school which previously did not have toilets for the students to use. The Biocenter will house separate men and women’s toilets and bathrooms. The second floor will house rental space for hire.


Skyrope

Another new Biocenter under construction, Skyrope will be run in the hopes of providing employment for youths in the area. For construction they are employing nine people full-time, with more employed for other labor. The Biocenter will house separate men and women’s toilets and bathrooms with a handicap accessible toilet as well. The second floor will have a hall for hire that is already being used by youths for playing, music, and video games. Skyrope focuses on sustainable development projects and has also partnered with UNICEF and Plan International to provide young women with sex education.


Slumlight

Slumlight is under construction as well. Located near a river, the sanitation services that it will provide will help keep the waterway healthier and less contaminated. The first floor will house separate men and women’s toilets and bathrooms with the second floor as a hall for hire.

2 COMMENTS
  • Peter K
    Reply

    Great work you are doing.
    What would it take to install such a center in a large slum-based primary school?

    Just thinking how such a facility could be revolutionary in a large institution with guaranteed users every day, all year round.
    Weekends the Centre can be accessible for community to take showers, cook, laundry etc.
    Your thoughts?
    Peter
    0726929199

  • zoritoler imol
    Reply

    Some genuinely nice and useful information on this website, besides I believe the design and style holds great features.

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