A Letter From Natalie

Dear Friends,

I want to begin by thanking everyone who has written to congratulate and celebrate the growth happening at Tatua. As I mentioned last month, we have expanded our work. This year, in addition to running our child poverty initiative, Be the Change – Kenya (BTCKE), Tatua will be expanding our services to include ‘Train for Tatua’ a community organizing training platform for other organizations, institutions and individuals who want to put these tools into practice.

In April we had huge wins with both BTCKE and Train for Tatua. All of our BTCKE community organizers held forums within their communities to discuss how through community organizing might offer a new way of dealing with child poverty. All together, 270 people attended including 19 Kenyan Government Representatives. The organizers have begun to host ‘collective decision making’ forums within their communities to decide on which areas of child poverty their 2013 campaigns will focus.

Meanwhile, our training program has launched. I had the chance to represent Tatua as a member of the Leading Change Network at a community organizing training working with youth addressing the abnormally high rates of alcohol abuse, youth suicide and school dropouts in New Zealand and speak at a TEDx Talk in the Mathare Settlement. It’s so encouraging to see how Tatua’s work and learning is benefiting others here in Kenya and around the world.

Exciting stuff is happening! Follow the Tatua Blog to stay updated on our progress.

With Joy,

Natalie