Our First Connection
Connect2Kenya was the original name of our organization and where our story began. We met Dennis and Carol Ochieng, the founders of Tabasamu Watoto Inclusive Center (TWIC), the summer of 2015. It was an instant connection! To learn more about how we connected to their Kiberan community, read Our Story.
Est. 2015
Tabasamu Watoto Inclusive Centre
Tabasamu = Smile
Watoto = Child
Tabasamu Watoto Inclusive Centre is an early childhood school in Kibera, Kenya. It is one of the few schools to educate students with disabilities in its community. In addition to its school, TWIC offers the following programs to their community:
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-Cheka Mama Project-
An income generating program that teaches sewing skills to allow individuals to create products, sell them, and become financially secure.
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-Special Needs Outreach-
TWIC provides awareness trainings to community members, as well as offers support to families who have aged out of their early childhood program.
-Girls Program-
A safe space for girls ages 10-23 to come together to find physical & emotional support, as well as to learn and practice artistic & educational skills.
Collaborative Efforts
ECI works with TWIC to provide the following programs in our joint effort to Empower the Exceptional across the globe.
In-Country
Workshops
ECI takes a team of professional volunteers to Kibera each year to assist with workshops, awareness trainings, and professional development for parents, teachers, and professionals who are seeking to empower individuals with disabilities in their communities.
Online Professional Development
Our team provides monthly Zoom trainings to a cohort of teachers in Kenya who wish to further their skill set in working with the disabled population. We meet the 3rd Friday of each month in the evenings. Please email us if you are interested in leading a session.
Community
Outreach
While in-country, we assist TWIC's team in reaching families who have a child (young or adult-aged) with a disability. We do this through home visits, community awareness days, and fun family event days designated to making these families feel loved, respected, and valued.