Who We Are
Badilika Uishi is a drop-in center and outreach program located in Nairobi, Kenya. Located in an informal settlement called Kawangware, Badilika Uishi reaches out to the most marginalized and stigmatized people in the community – drug users, sex workers, street children, and the vulnerable elderly, providing them with support, dignity, and safety.
We believe that by treating our community with respect, they are more likely to treat themselves with kindness and to take steps that will help them live more satisfying, healthy lives.
To accomplish our goals, we function in part like a mutual aid society, coming together to provide assistance with basic needs such as food, hygiene, and even school fees for the children of some of our members. We typically involve our entire community in decision-making. At the same time, we work like a social service agency, offering peer counseling, connections to health care, community education, and crisis support as well as opportunities to participate in the broader community.
Badilika Uishi is registered as a Community Based Organization, which is a kind of Kenyan non-profit organization that is not required to pay taxes.
Our Core Values
Autonomy: people have the right to decide for themselves what change is right for them, and when.
Dignity: regardless of their behavior, everyone should be treated with respect.
Compassion: we always try to understand where people are coming from, rather than judging their behavior. We don’t make excuses for things they’ve done wrong, but we have compassion for their circumstances.
Safety: when people feel safe and cared for, they are more likely to take steps towards change.
Peers: there is something special about connecting with someone else who has been in your shoes. We are a peer -founded and peer-run organization.