Our Programs
Three interconnected pillars transforming communities through sustainable development
Livelihoods Program
Business Training & Startup Business Fund
We empower vulnerable women — single mothers, young mothers, and widows — through financial support and business training. The Startup Business Fund (SBF) provides crucial capital in the form of grants to start or expand small enterprises, creating pathways out of poverty.
25+
Families Supported
Revolving
Fund Model
Holistic
Empowerment
How It Works
Qualification
Vulnerable women — single mothers, young mothers, and widows — are identified and assessed for the program.
SBF Grant Disbursement
Qualified entrepreneurs receive grants from the Startup Business Fund (SBF) to start or boost their small businesses.
3-Month Grace Period
A three-month grace period before the pay-it-forward contribution begins, giving businesses time to grow and stabilize.
Group Accountability
Social guarantee group lending builds community accountability and mutual support among participants.
Revolving Fund
Graduates pay it forward to support new beneficiaries, creating a self-sustaining cycle of empowerment.
Business Training
Financial literacy and business training provided alongside capital support for sustainable growth.
Success Story
"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members."
— Coretta Scott King
This quote inspired our Startup Business Fund (SBF). 25 families received grants during an economic downturn, with a pay-it-forward model that allows businesses to grow before contributing back. Participants who also completed AVP training now bring conflict resolution skills into their businesses and communities.
Featured Documentary
Hustle & Harmony: The Intersection of Business and Peace
Hear directly from beneficiaries about how the SBF has provided financial stability and fostered personal growth.
Photo Gallery
Peace Building & Social Reconciliation
Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)
Through the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), we equip community members with practical skills to resolve conflicts peacefully, heal from trauma, and become agents of peace. Our workshops reach informal settlements, prisons, schools, and refugee camps.
18
TOTs Certified
3+
Communities Reached
4
New Facilitators
Program Components
Creative Conflict Management & Transformation
Participants learn to address conflict constructively, replacing violence with understanding and compassion. Through engaging activities, role-playing exercises, and open discussions, they develop skills for peaceful resolution.
Trauma Consciousness & Resilience Workshops
We help individuals and communities recognize and heal from trauma, building resilience for long-term wellbeing. These workshops create safe spaces for processing difficult experiences and developing coping strategies.
Listening Circles
Structured gatherings where community members practice deep listening and empathetic communication, strengthening social bonds and mutual understanding.
AVP Philosophy
There is good in everyone
We are all volunteers
We are all teachers; we are all learners
AVP is not therapy but can be healing
We learn by involvement
AVP is not a religion but can be spiritual
Workshop Levels
Basic
Introduction to affirmation, communication, cooperation, trust building, and creative conflict resolution.
Advanced
Deeper exploration of peacebuilding concepts and facilitation techniques for experienced participants.
Training of Trainers (TOT)
Certifies participants to facilitate AVP workshops themselves, multiplying impact across communities.
Recent Impact
25 TOTs certified in violence prevention across Kibera, Mathare, and Mwihoko — a game-changer in community engagement and long-term peacebuilding.
Workshops conducted in Mwihoko, Mathare, and Kibera, reaching some of Nairobi's most vulnerable communities.
Young people are the primary participants in recent sessions, building a generation of peacemakers.
Four apprentices who previously attended AVP have now been trained as facilitators, multiplying our reach.
Photo Gallery
Emergency Response & Crisis Relief
Rapid Aid · Food Security · Community Resilience
When crises strike — whether pandemics, flooding, or economic shocks — E-CATS mobilizes rapidly to deliver emergency food, hygiene supplies, and psychosocial support to the most vulnerable households in Kibera, Mathare, and Mwihoko. Our deep community roots allow us to reach those who need help most, fast.
200+
Households Reached
Food
Packages Distributed
Rapid
Crisis Response
How We Respond
Emergency Food Distribution
Rapid deployment of food packages to vulnerable households during crises, ensuring no family goes hungry when disaster strikes.
Sanitary & Hygiene Kits
Distribution of sanitary pads, soap, and hygiene essentials — especially for girls and women — to maintain dignity and health during emergencies.
Psychosocial Support
Trauma-informed care and emotional support sessions for community members affected by crises, leveraging our AVP peacebuilding expertise.
Household Needs Assessment
Rapid community assessments to identify the most vulnerable households and prioritize aid distribution effectively and equitably.
Community Mobilization
Activating our network of trained community volunteers and TOT graduates to coordinate rapid response efforts on the ground.
Recovery & Resilience
Post-crisis support linking affected families back into our Livelihoods and Peacebuilding programs to rebuild stability long-term.
Crisis Responses
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
During the height of the pandemic, E-CATS mobilized quickly to distribute food packages and hygiene kits to over 200 vulnerable households in Kibera and Mathare, where lockdowns devastated informal workers overnight.
Flooding & Displacement Support
When heavy rains caused flooding in Kibera, displacing hundreds of families, E-CATS responded with emergency food, sanitary supplies, and psychosocial support — drawing on our community networks to reach those most in need.
Our Approach
Speed
We mobilize within 24–48 hours of a crisis, leveraging our existing community networks.
Targeting
We prioritize the most vulnerable — widows, single mothers, elderly, and children.
Integration
Emergency response is linked to our long-term Livelihoods and Peacebuilding programs.
Accountability
Every distribution is documented and reported to donors and community leaders.
Support Emergency Response
Your donation helps us respond faster when communities need it most.
Support Our Programs
Your contribution helps us expand these life-changing programs to reach more communities