Safe, Skilled, Systemic: How Grassroots Innovation Builds Real Value

In Nairobi’s Mukuru slums, where daily life presents countless challenges, the V.I.C.C.O Knowledge Hub is creating space for safety, learning, and transformation.

Embedded in the System Changer Network Kenya, V.I.C.C.O takes a holistic approach to community-led change — turning local knowledge into scalable, systemic solutions.

A Safe Place for Girls and Young Mothers

Keja Safe, the community’s secure house, offers shelter to teen girls and adolescent mothers in crisis. Here, they find protection, emotional support, and space to breathe.

Nutrition & Practical Skills

Every Saturday, mothers come together for cooking sessions — not only to prepare food, but to learn about nutrition, child health, and how to feed their families sustainably. The community kitchen also provides hot meals for school feeding programs.

Cultural Activities and Mental Health Support

From traditional dance to focused dialogues, V.I.C.C.O blends culture with education. Mental health sessions offer safe expression, peer support, and a step toward healing in stressful urban environments.

Local Leadership and Grassroots Coordination

The V.I.C.C.O Champions Office supports youth leaders and community organizers. It’s a place for planning, follow-up, and action at the neighborhood level.

Art That Speaks

At Keja Safe, a mural of a breastfeeding mother sparks conversations on nutrition and care. Nearby, a community mosaic reflects shared dreams for safety, dignity, and belonging — proving that creativity can be a powerful driver of awareness and change.

Scaling What Works: Part of the System Changer Network Kenya

As a core SCN Kenya member, V.I.C.C.O is part of a wider effort to measure collaboration, amplify local knowledge, and connect organizations tackling injustice in systemic ways.

By supporting initiatives like V.I.C.C.O, we lay the groundwork for sustainable impact that reaches beyond one neighborhood.

Let’s co-create solutions that scale.

Because resilient communities begin with safe spaces — and people who believe in change.