Impact in Focus – Ruben Centre:
Building Foundations for Thriving Communities

As we build momentum for our 2025 #OneTeam for Kenya campaign, we’re reminded that lasting change happens when education, healthcare, and empowerment work together to strengthen entire communities. Each donation creates ripple effects of transformation that extend far beyond individual lives. When you contribute to our campaign or experience these partnerships firsthand on an Impact Journey to Kenya, you’re investing in comprehensive solutions that address root causes of inequality. 

Among our valued partners in Kenya is Ruben Centre, an organization serving Nairobi’s Mukuru settlement with an integrated approach that spans all three of our core focus areas. From providing dignified healthcare to over 27,000 people annually, to delivering quality education that keeps children in school and on track for success, to empowering women with vocational training that creates economic independence—Ruben Centre demonstrates the power of holistic community development. 

Located in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, Ruben Centre has become a beacon of hope where narrow alleyways and crowded conditions might otherwise limit opportunities. Their comprehensive model proves that when basic needs are met with dignity and communities are empowered with skills and purpose, extraordinary transformations become possible. 

The stories that follow illustrate how Ruben Centre’s integrated approach creates lasting change across generations. 

Finding Purpose Through Music: Collins’ Full-Circle Journey 

Collins Odhiambo grew up near Ruben Center Primary as a quiet student who discovered something powerful when he first picked up an instrument—the way the world seemed to pause and problems softened with each measure of song. 

In Mukuru, where poverty can derail potential, Ruben Centre’s music program provides purpose and direction that helps youth resist pressures leading to early pregnancy, dropping out, or risky behavior. The program’s impact extends beyond grades to shaping identity and belonging. 

With donor support, Collins thrived academically and committed himself to music. That dedication carried him through high school and into the prestigious Nairobi Youth Orchestra. 

Collins never forgot where it began. After graduation, he returned as a music tutor, bringing his journey full circle. Today, he leads the program that launched his future. Under his mentorship, students achieved first place in the 2024 Kenya National Music Festivals—their music reaching from a humble Mukuru classroom to a national stage. 

Collins’ story demonstrates how purpose-driven programming creates both individual success and community transformation, as beneficiaries become leaders who invest in the next generation. 

From Crisis to Entrepreneurship: Grace’s New Beginning 

Grace arrived in Nairobi from a rural village with her children and aging mother, seeking better opportunities but finding only washing clothes and market jobs. When circumstances left her homeless, pregnant, and alone, she relied on neighbors’ kindness during a vulnerable time. 

When Grace came to Ruben Health Centre for post-childbirth care, her transformation began. The nurses listened to her story and connected her with comprehensive support—assistance with rent, food, and baby supplies that became the foundation for healing and hope. 

Ruben Centre’s approach extends beyond crisis response. Grace joined over 150 women in their Vocational Training Program, completing six months of training in tailoring, hairdressing, and weaving at their dedicated Vocational Training Centre. 

Today, Grace provides for her family with dignity and pride, representing hundreds of women who have moved from survival to entrepreneurship, launching small businesses in Mukuru and building economic independence. 

Grace’s journey illustrates how addressing immediate needs while building long-term capacity creates sustainable change that strengthens entire families and communities. 

Healing with Dignity: Transforming Healthcare in Mukuru 

In Nairobi’s informal settlements, quality healthcare has long been out of reach for many families. Ruben Health Centre has changed that reality, becoming a sanctuary where over 27,000 people annually receive dignified, compassionate care. 

The impact is particularly profound for maternal health. With free maternity services and trained midwives, mothers no longer face impossible choices between safety and affordability. Over 950 women receive prenatal and maternity care annually, with more than 1,000 babies delivered each year. 

Community health outreach serves over 550 people in single-day initiatives, providing vaccinations, screenings, and preventive care. The results demonstrate quality and consistency: 137,340 services delivered this year, surpassing targets by 6%, with a 97% immunization rate for children under five—far above Nairobi’s 77% average. 

The Power of Integrated Impact 

These three stories showcase Ruben Centre’s understanding that sustainable change requires addressing multiple challenges simultaneously. Collins’ musical journey shows how education with purpose builds future leaders. Grace’s transformation demonstrates how combining immediate support with skills training creates lasting empowerment. The healthcare initiatives prove how dignified medical care strengthens entire communities. 

This integrated approach aligns with the Richer Life Foundation’s commitment to comprehensive solutions that address root causes. Through our #OneTeam for Kenya campaign, we’re supporting a model where basic needs are met with dignity and communities are equipped with skills and opportunity. 

We’re grateful to our partners at Ruben Centre for demonstrating that hope thrives even in challenging circumstances. Whether you contribute through our Impact Fund or witness this work on an Impact Journey to Kenya, you become part of a story where healing begins, dreams take root, and entire communities rise together. 

Join us

To learn more about or contribute to our #OneTeam for Kenya campaign, visit richerlifefoundation.org/otk. To explore our Impact Journeys to Kenya, visit richerlifefoundation.org/impact-journeys.