By Joshua Ochieng

It was an ecstatic moment of joy and hope at the heart of Nairobi’s Kayole Matopeni informal settlement as 47 youth who recently completed a 45-day training on Socio-Emotional Skills Training (SEST) were awarded certificates.

The ceremony was attended by officials from the World Bank, National Project Coordination Team (NPCT) from the Second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project, National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), Nairobi City County, Settlement Executive and Grievance Redress Committees.

By Godffrey Olali

In the labyrinthine alleys of Kenya's urban sprawl, where the sun beats down on corrugated iron roofs and rain turns dirt paths into treacherous mudslides, life has long been a daily battle for survival.

Informal settlements, home to over half of the country's urban population, pulse with resilience amid hardship. Residents like Mariam Sally in Muyeye, Malindi Town, once navigated their days with the indignity of using nearby bushes or school grounds as makeshift toilets.

By Justus Bwonderi

Once known as a fearful "goon" lost in drug addiction within Trans Nzoia County's Matisi Settlement, 35-year-old Hosea Wanjala is progressively transforming into a community leader, utilizing new skills from the Socio Emotional Skills Training (SEST) program.

This remarkable transformation done over the past 45 days, has not only equipped Hosea and other youth with vital skills, but has also ignited a spark of hope and ambition in individuals who took part.

By Amos Jaganyi and Eva Kurgat

For millions of Kenyans living in several informal settlements associated with vibrant yet vulnerable communities, access to basic necessities like good roads, well-lit streets, clean water and sanitation has long been a distant dream.