My name is Stephen Okwara and I’m the Local Representative for Matopeni. I am married to Eunice Namwatikho. She and my three children don’t live with me in Nairobi but they stay in Kakamega in rural Kenia. My children are Austine Ateko, Vincent Ombwara and Esther Mwando. I was brought up in Matopeni Slum with my six brothers and sisters. At that time there was neither public nor private School so we had to walk long distance to and from school. My parents were very poor so they couldn’t afford to pay School fees in good schools due to high fees that were being charged. Most of the community members have known me from my childhood to my adulthood. We grew up with their children, played and went to School together. That being said my age mate’s are now the adults residing in Matopeni Slum. After my Education and going in for training in National Institute of Community Development (NICOD), the community development initiative committee gave me a responsibility of being a role model for the young children. Those who were loosing their Parents due to HIV/AIDS pandemic, natural death and those from poor families that could not afford to pay school fees. As a result with the support of the residents and the community at large we started a rehabilitation centre where we could educate and care for the needy children in this Village. I usually wake up at 0500 hours. I do not have an alarm clock but as it is my habit to wake up at this time I don’t need one. Then I have tea and bread with sweet potatoes for breakfast. Then I start my voluntary job which is teaching at the Boston Children Centre. My role as local representative Is to play the leading role in providing grassroots information about the project. Giving steps that will enable the project reach its focus; answer all questions from Neighbours, to seek legal status of the Organization spear heading of running project. My dream with this project is to see poor needy children coming from Matopeni village get quality Education without discrimination. I will be fully satisfied once I see enough classrooms build in Matopeni School. My motto: “Knowledge is power” What drives me to help my community If nothing happens today to build a community School in this Village, several children will drop out of School due to long distance. They will not get quality education they need to compete in employment arena. Lack of employment may lead the youth in un-lawful activities. No development will take place in Matopeni. Neither the vicious circle of poverty experienced now in the Slum will never come to an end. Our project The poverty level in Matopeni currently stands at 63%, which means that most people are living below the poverty line. The community gets little or no government assistance. The village is characterized by the hardship and poverty families and individuals must face. There is no public learning institution in Matopeni Slum. Children are forced to walk ten kilometers one way to and from the nearest City council. The local Community is wallowing in crippling poverty, ordinary residents continue to struggle to survive. There is rising cost of food and children either go to school hungry, stay home because schools are at distance or food is too expensive to afford. Today three out of five families are either starving or on the brink of starvation. Many leave on a meal a day and on some days even that is not available and their hungry children cry until they sleep. Due to the economic conditions and long distance to and from School, parents are forced to choose between sending their children to school or withdrawing them prematurely. When the children here do not attend school they are found wandering about the streets and ransacking dustbins for whatever they can find to feed on. Since the government is not able to provide the basic schooling facilities for children of the Matopeni village, residents and parents in this community took action by building 5 Temporary Class Rooms using Tin Sheets to cater for the neediest children; approximately 180 out of 700 orphans and other needy children were able to be inducted into the first phase of the project which is currently going on albeit amid great difficulties and hardships. More class rooms are needed and other learning facilities and accessories to enable this project take of and take ground.  Community members are more than willing to seek support for this noble program in order to help this very wanting situation. As explained above we have provided a shack in which children are being taught. However these are temporary structures and as such the tin built structures are already in danger of being swept away by the rains and this discourages children from having fun in their learning. Future For sure the project is for the benefit of future generation in Matopeni. Once the School is built my own children or grand Sons may learn here. Instead of walking ten kilometers to the slum side Schools which is ten kilometers away. NABUUR I found Nabuur through internet. Through Nabuur, I have known several people around the world whom some we have met physically while on thei visit here in Kenya and talked to then about the project. Nabuur is quite helpful to the grass root Villages like Matopeni. Nabuur connects Matopeni Village to the outside world and to other organizations which can help us. Neighbours on Nabuur have coached me on how to manage my project. I can say that Nabuur has empowered me with fundraising techniques, how to write funding documents and to date I know several funding Organization that can fund our project. Internet The internet reduces the whole world to a Village where residents can learn the problems facing their neighbours and step in to assist get a solution to that particular problem. It brings people in contact with the outside world. Internet connect Matopeni Village to other funding organizations around the world which can help us I go to a cyber Café for internet connection. It costs me one shilling per minute.