Building a smart hub in one of Kenya’s informal settlements
When Achieng Hope finished secondary school in Mathare, Nairobi, she had a clear goal: to become a software developer and use technology to solve problems in her community. As she puts it, “Since I was young, I wanted to be a software developer. The world we are living in is more about technology, and I wanted to be part of building it, not just using it.” What stood in her way was not motivation or talent, but money.
Without the means to pay for college, her plans could easily have stalled. Instead, she joined Oasis Mathare in Nairobi, where access to the Internet came with free training and mentorship. Today, Achieng builds websites and trains children to create animations, stories, and games. What began as learning has quickly turned into leadership.” The biggest opportunity I got is that I became a facilitator,” she explains. “I now go to schools around Mathare, teaching young children coding and helping make it easier for them to learn.”
It All Began at Oasis Mathare
Across Mathare, Kenya’s second-largest informal settlement, access to the Internet has long been limited, expensive, or unreliable. Mathare is home to a predominantly young population, but also to persistent barriers: interrupted schooling, high unemployment, limited access to skills training, and few safe spaces to learn and create.
For many young people, these conditions narrow choices early in life and make it harder to imagine different futures. For many residents, this has meant fewer educational opportunities, reduced access to public services, and limited chances to turn ideas into livelihoods. Oasis Mathare Community Network was created in response to these realities.
Its answer, through the Mathare Slum Connect initiative, is rooted in community ownership. But before the community network even existed, there was Oasis Mathare, a community-based organization founded in Mathare to address these challenges directly. Its work focuses on using technology and design to expand educational and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable young people, particularly those excluded from formal pathways. Their activities include digital education, youth economic empowerment, safe learning spaces for children, and skills training designed to translate learning into livelihoods.
The community network builds on this broader mission. As Douglas Mwangi, Founder and Director of Oasis Mathare, explains: “What motivated me to start Oasis Mathare was the challenges that I personally experienced while growing up in Mathare Slums when trying to access education and livelihood opportunities.”
A Pandemic Deepening Global Inequality
The idea for the community network, Douglas explains, became urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools closed, and learning moved online. “During COVID-19, the kids were asked to learn from home,” he recalls. “But unfortunately, kids in Mathare could not access the content because most of it was online.”
Frequent power cuts and high infrastructure costs mean that conventional connectivity models often fail in Mathare. Their solution was combining fiber and wireless links, and backing them up with solar power. The network prioritizes reliability, so schools can keep teaching, small businesses can stay open, and families can remain connected even during outages.
Earlier attempts to bridge this gap relied on other technologies like SMS, which improved access but revealed clear limits. “We realized SMS had limitations,” Douglas says. “There was no way we could do this without the Internet, and that’s where the conversation about a community network started.”
Connectivity reaches people where it matters most. Schools, health centers, community organizations, and homes act as anchor points, while shared Wi-Fi hotspots extend access to surrounding households and public spaces. For residents, this means less time and money spent searching for a connection, and more time using the Internet to study, apply for services, or develop new skills.
A New Age of Education
The impact is already visible in classrooms, particularly in how children engage with learning when given the tools to create rather than just consume. At Destiny Primary School and St. Michael, teachers are using online resources to enrich lessons, while students can research assignments and access national education platforms. Through partnerships with other Foundations, Code Clubs now run in dozens of schools, helping children build confidence in problem-solving and creativity, skills that matter far beyond the screen.
Achieng has seen this change firsthand, including through a game she created herself using a programming language called Scratch. “The skills I’ve gained have really helped young children to be more creative,” she says. “I created a game called Silly Eyes using Scratch. It helped the kids dive deeper into coding, and it encouraged them to spend time creating and learning instead of being drawn into bad company. In the community, it helps these kids solve problems in their own environments.”
Access is also reshaping opportunities outside formal education. Public Wi-Fi hotspots, including one serving Mathare Polytechnic, have expanded what institutions can offer. Students who once had access only to basic vocational courses are now exploring digital skills such as photography, video editing, and graphic design. The Internet, in this context, becomes a tool for imagining different futures.
For young people, connectivity is translating into confidence, creativity, and, in some cases, income and independence. One local youth group has opened a cybercafé, helping residents access essential government services while creating steady work for themselves. Another group uses online platforms to learn new dance choreography and stay informed on social issues.
Behind these outcomes is a model designed to last, shaped by years of working directly with young people who are hustling to change their circumstances. The network is managed by a community-elected committee, with trained local technicians responsible for maintenance and day-to-day operations.
At Oasis Mathare, youth are not defined solely by age but by circumstance. “To us, youth is anyone who is hustling,” Douglas explains. “Anyone who is struggling, primarily between 18 and 35, we welcome them and give them skills so they can reskill and find opportunities.” Revenue from users will be reinvested to keep the network running, expand coverage, and support digital literacy programs. This approach reduces dependence on external actors and strengthens local accountability.
A New Starting Point
John Njeru’s experience captures this longer-term impact. His journey reflects how Oasis Mathare approaches success, not simply as job placement, but as transformation. He joined Oasis Mathare in 2021 as a student, driven by a desire to build technology rather than simply consume it. Through training and mentorship, he gained not only technical skills but also confidence. That foundation has since enabled him to pursue a career in technology, and he now works at a local ICT company.
“Success to us is transformation,” Douglas says. “It’s about being able to use the skills gained to start something, solve a problem, or grow in confidence. Employment matters, but confidence and agency matter just as much.” For John, connectivity was not an endpoint, but a starting one.