“A STITCH IN TIME…”

By Ahmed A. Hanan Deeshini

Just as the title says, a stitch time saves nine. This is also the story of Kigamboni Community Center (KCC), which was started by four young people, who wanted to give something back to their community after they were helped by some organizations in Dar-es-Salaam. They started up KCC with no other resources but themselves. They started in 2004 based on the skills they already had – acrobatics, teaching English, dancing and painting. Later they expanded to sewing, modern dance, computer learning, peer education, drama and so on and so forth.

With a lot of work, sacrifice and determination, they started teaching what they could to local children in the nearest available shelter. As their pupils began to learn more and dedicate themselves to their education and community, the concept of a viable and sustainable community centre became more and more a reality and a dream.

KCC is trying to help young people to do something productive with their lives instead of using drugs, involving themselves in crimes and giving up on life in general. Though many young people were afraid to join due to the fact that KCC is right next to the police station. After taking care of the youth’s problems and educating them, the KCC send some to be schooled on globalization and community development. On of such people is Yusuph Mperalla, who happens to be a participant on the Global Citizen Course 2013 fall. Talking to him, he had this to say; “This is not the first time a beneficiary from the KCC is at the GCC, every year someone is nominated to participate in the four months course. This has helped us so much, because we share all that we have learnt with other youth in the Kingamboni Community. The KCC has changed the lives of many youth who would have gone wayward and become street children. What we do at kigamboni keep us away from bad behavior and provide us the platform to think about our future and what we want to do in future. The biggest lesson I have learnt from the KCC is selflessness and the spirit of Voluntarism. Youth activists who provide free services just to protect and secure the lives of several other youth run the center. I intend to also give back to the community in the same way and more, whenever I get the opportunity”.

The interesting thing about KCC is how the youth of this community have realized what problems they are into and how they have begun championing their own course. The KCC believes also that to succeed, you have to be sure to put your feet in the right place and then stand firm. It is important to remember that the youth can lead in implementation. They are quick learners and can rapidly become change makers in their communities. The youth of Kigamboni have started their own change process and from the look of things are living by the Athenian oath, which says that; “ We will never bring disgrace to this city, by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks. We will fight for the ideal and sacred things of the city, both alone and with many, we will strive unceasingly to quicken the public’s sense of civic duty. Thus in all these ways, we will transmit this city not only, not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us”.

These Youth are willing to change their lives, but more often, such efforts are being thwarted by the lack of funds. In the meantime, everything is based purely on voluntarism. This questions the sustainability of what otherwise has started as a social enterprise. Without funds to run the place, the center is likely to suffer in its operations. This is therefore a clarion call to philanthropists, NGOs and government to salvage and project the good intentions of the youth for the youth. A stitch in time, they say saves nine.