Summary
On June 10 and 11, 2025 KCDF held a Change the Game Academy (CtGA) refresher training, bringing together 12 organisations from across Kenya. The goal was to strengthen their capacity for local fundraising to drive sustainable development. These organisations, had previously undergone fundraising training with KCDF under CtGA between October 2023 and February 2024 with support from Misereor. Since then, many have reported tangible results and transformation in their approaches to resource mobilisation.
One such organisation is the Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute (KWPTI) under the Archdiocese of Nairobi, run by the Comboni Missionary Sisters. The institution offers technical courses in hairdressing, beauty, catering, and fashion and design, primarily serving young women in Nairobi’s informal settlements. It is challenging to run the project because of the costs, including providing equipment and materials that students need and free child care during classes. Moreover, the tuition fees are low.
To support the project, the school runs a production unit that produces clothes, uniforms, game kits, and tie-dye products, which are then sold to the public to help subsidise the costs of running the school. The production unit has employed former students at the institution and often brings in the students to help with the production when the orders placed are large.
The main income for the running of KWPTI, however, was based on donations received from various parishes and friends abroad but these offerings and donations have reduced due to various reasons. The alternative offered by Change the Game Academy therefore came at just the right time.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
With 50 professional instructors, offering 87 new courses every year to currently 277 registered students the Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute is a resounding success. When their foreign funding dwindled, they had to look for alternatives. A Change the Game Academy course in local fundraising proved to be the solution. With their newly acquired knowledge and skills they made a fundraising plan, identified possible donors and organised an appealing event. And, of course, they did not forget the “aftercare”: regular updates on the funds raised and how these were spent.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
The Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute (KWPTI) was founded by The Comboni Missionary Sisters in 1992. The institution rose up as an answer to the high number of young women in the area, many of them pregnant, that were coming for assistance and seeking refuge at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
Today, the Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute is recognised by the Technical and Vocational Educational and Training Authority, or TVETA, offering courses in fashion and design, food and beverage production, and hairdressing and beauty therapy.
A child care centre on the first floor of the two-story building that houses the Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute is a vital part of the project. The centre takes care of babies so their mothers are free to attend classes.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
Amid the socio-economic challenges of Nairobi’s informal settlements, the Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute (KWPTI) stands as a pillar, offering opportunities, skills, and a renewed sense of purpose to young women striving for a better future. Run by the Comboni Missionary Sisters under the Archdiocese of Nairobi, the institute has become a lifeline for countless young women seeking to break the cycle of poverty through skills training and empowerment.
Offering hands-on courses in hairdressing, beauty, catering, and fashion and design, KWPTI equips women with employable skills and the confidence and dignity to chart a new course for their lives and communities. After the training, some students work in the local markets, some open their own businesses, and others are employed by the school as trainers or work in the production unit.
In a landscape where opportunities for youth, especially young women, can be scarce, KWPTI is more than a training centre; it is a launchpad for economic independence, personal growth, and community change.
Summary of fundraising action
“Initially, we believed funding could only come from foreign aid or international partners,” said Everlyn Ochieng, a representative from KWPTI. “But through the CtGA training, we discovered that our communities hold immense potential to support our cause.”
With these insights, KWPTI launched its first local fundraising campaign in March 2024, targeting support for teen mothers in their area. Based in a community surrounded by slums like Korogocho, Kariobangi, Dandora, and Huruma, KWPTI witnesses firsthand the vulnerability of teen mothers, many of whom are abandoned, struggling with poverty, and lacking opportunities.
“Some of these young women face desperate situations, abandoning children, begging, or worse. We knew we had to act,” Everlyn shared.
The institute mobilised churches, locals, banks, and corporates through a community luncheon, raising KES 400,000. Inspired by this success, they applied for and received the KCDF Pamoja (Together) for Change grant, which matched their KES 500,000 community-raised funds with another KES 500,000.
Their unique strategy included church-based events, where students performed, shared their stories, and showcased their talents. They also ensured transparency and accountability, updating donors on funds raised and progress made.
With the funds, KWPTI was able to:
- Sponsor 8 teen mothers in various technical courses
- Purchase computers to boost digital literacy
- Upgrade sewing equipment with digital machines for fashion classes
Targeted donors
Local residents, churches, banks, corporates
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (KES |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
500,000 |
3,500 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
|
|
| Net amount raised |
500,000 |
3,500 |
Result comments
Through the Change the Game Academy, KWPTI has embraced a sustainable fundraising model, tapping into local goodwill, building trust, and driving long-term impact.
The journey of Kariobangi Women Promotion Training Institute is a powerful testament to what is possible when communities are empowered with the right skills and mindset. Through the Change the Game Academy, KWPTI shifted from relying solely on external aid to mobilising local resources, building stronger community ties, and creating a sustainable impact.
As more organisations adopt this approach, the vision of locally led, community-driven development and local philanthropy becomes not just a possibility, but a growing reality across Kenya.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
KWPTI regularly updated donors on funds raised and progress made since they consider transparency and accountability to be very important.
