ABOUT US
St. Martin’s is at the heart of change in the Kibagare
slum in Nairobi.
Our mission is to create a safe, caring and inclusive learning environment where every child can grow in confidence, receive a quality education, and access the support needed to thrive.
We believe education is one of the strongest pathways out of poverty, and we work alongside families and the wider community to create lasting change.
We believe every child deserves the chance to learn, grow, and build a brighter future, regardless of where they are born. We serve children and families in Kibagare, Nairobi, where many households face poverty, overcrowding, food insecurity, and limited access to essential services.
Our school exists to provide a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where children can receive a quality education and the support they need to thrive. We believe education opens the door to opportunity, dignity, and long-term change for both the child and the wider family.
We do more than teach in the classroom. Alongside academic learning, we support children through school meals, wellbeing care, and programmes that respond to the realities of life in Kibagare. By working closely with parents, local leaders, and community partners, we aim to strengthen not only individual learners but the whole community around them. Our mission is to break cycles of poverty through education, care, and community support. We want every child in our school to feel safe, valued, and equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and life skills needed to shape their future
WHAT WE DO
We provide a supportive school environment where children can learn, develop life skills, and build hope for the future. Our focus is not only on academic progress, but also on helping each child feel safe, seen, and encouraged.
Good nutrition is essential for learning. Our feeding programme helps ensure children receive regular meals, reducing hunger and helping them participate fully in school and community life.
Support from sponsors and donors helps cover school fees, meals, learning materials, and wider care for vulnerable children. This shared commitment allows us to respond both to immediate needs and long-term opportunity
Kibagare Slum
The slum of Kibagare, Kenya, is located on the outskirts of Nairobi and home to 17,000 people without clean water or sanitation systems. The slum originated with former plantation workers who lost their livelihoods back in 1972 and has today grown to 17,000 people in a tiny strip of land hemmed in on all sides.
The level of poverty experienced by families in Kibagare is immense. With such hardships and little employment the rate of substance abuse and crime and prostitution is high. At the heart of Kibagare lies Saint Martin's school which sits like a lighthouse and a beacon of hope where poverty, destitution are all around.
Life in the slum is not easy and it's even worse for children. The lack of even the most basic needs - shelter, food, healthcare, security and education. The children of Kibagare have limited access to any of these.
St. Martin‘s ‘Feeding Program’ runs three Saturdays a month and supports up to 1,500 children on each occasion. The program is self-funded and sustained by private donors and sponsors. We open the school gates at 12.30 and for two hours the children queue up to get a nutritious meal, including fruit and a carton of milk. The Sisters, school staff and local volunteers coordinate the large flow of children through several ‘food’ stations, where they pick up different items until they reach the main dining area. In many cases, this is the only warm meal the children will get in the entire weekend. It’s quite common to see children as young as 6 carrying younger siblings on their backs or holding them by the hands through the trail.
The main reason the ‘Feeding program’ exists is to ensure the children get a full meal each week. The school struggles to get regular funding to buy the food despite the impact and far-reach of this program.
Saturday Feeding Program
Kibagare Community Outreach
At St. Martin’s, we believe that when you empower a woman, you stabilise a family and uplift an entire community. Our outreach project is dedicated to the mothers, guardians, and local heroes working to build a brighter future from the ground up. Many in our community navigate the challenges of manual labor, often earning less than $2 USD per day. Despite these hurdles, the spirit of entrepreneurship is being nurtured. From small-scale grocers to talented bakers and salon owners, these women (and men) are the backbone of the local community .The Community Outreach project encourages micro business the build and share in growth.
We provide support on:
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Providing startup and seed capital for materials and inventory.
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Skills training and vocational education and workshops.
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Long-term household stability and community building through a network of peer support.
By supporting the Kibagare Outreach Project, you are helping a mother buy her first sack of maize to sell, a guardian open their first shop, and a community move from the edge of vulnerability to a future of stability.
