The Rotary Club of Kitengela has urged stakeholders across the country to join forces in supporting vulnerable communities through various development projects.
Speaking during her installation as the club’s president at a ceremony in Nairobi on Saturday, Caroline Njiru emphasized the need for collaboration to amplify the impact of their work.
“As a club, we have done a lot over the years, from fighting diseases through medical camps to executing projects in schools such as digital literacy and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) initiatives,” Njiru said.
“But we cannot achieve much in isolation. We need partners and other actors to help us make a bigger difference.”
Rotary Club of Kitengela District officials/PHOTO:GEORGE OWITIDistrict 9200 official Bimal Kantaria echoed Njiru’s call for collaboration, highlighting Rotary’s extensive network of 130 clubs across Kenya.
“We are volunteers who do good in our communities, and we also build strong professional and business networks,” Kantaria said.
“Wherever you live, look out for a Rotary Club and join us.”
Dr. Njiru Njeru, the club’s District Governor nominee and a passionate advocate for WASH programmes, encouraged corporate and individual support for the Kitengela initiative.
“This is an opportunity for everyone to pitch in, big or small,” he said.
Outgoing president Judy Maruru expressed confidence in the new leadership, handing over the role with pride.
“I believe the incoming team is up to the task,” she said.
“During my term, we accomplished a lot, and I am confident that with this new team, Kitengela community projects will continue to thrive."
President Njiru outlined an ambitious plan to improve sanitation facilities in six public schools in Kitengela, where she noted that up to 150 pupils often queue for a single toilet during breaks.
“We want to end this indignity by constructing toilets in Chief Ntukei, Kitengela G.K Primary, Nonkopir, Utumishi, and two other schools. This is just the first phase of our project,” she explained.
The programme, dubbed ‘SAFI Kitengela WINS,’ is expected to benefit around 6,000 learners initially.
Njiru said the project would not only provide toilets but also rehabilitate and drill boreholes, install handwashing stations, and ensure children have access to clean water.
“Our vision is to create an environment where children can focus on their studies without being held back by preventable diseases caused by poor sanitation,” she said.
Rotary Club of Kitengela District officials PHOTO:GEORGE OWITIBeyond WASH initiatives, Njiru said the club would also support feeding programs and help pay school fees for needy students, alongside other education-focused projects.
She stressed that the club’s 46 members, all volunteers and professionals, rely on partnerships with governments, private companies, local and foreign investors, and philanthropists to bring their community projects to life.
“Rotary Clubs across the country, including ours, bridge the gap between what the government provides and what the public actually needs,” she noted.
“Public schools are often underfunded, lacking enough teachers, classrooms, and water. We step in to help fill these gaps.”
Rotary Club of Kitengela District officials./PHOTO:GEORGE OWITI
