Sr Mary Killeen rsm looks back on 40 years of Mukuru Promotion Centre in Kenya

Wednesday 21 May 2025 marks a milestone anniversary for Mukuru Promotion Centre (MPC) in Kenya.

MPC is commemorating its 40th anniversary of journeying with the Mukuru community by putting together a Commemorative Book for the Anniversary and an 8-minute video that points to the empowerment of thousands over the years.

Sr Mary Killeen rsm has shared some of her reflections on the past 40 years:

We (MPC) began during a crisis, and people told me about their children being out of school. They urgently needed a solution to that crisis to stop their children from getting into crime and bad habits on the streets. I saw the work as a solution to a temporary crisis, and I thought the crisis would end. I never saw the situation as a 40-year-old crisis and beyond, as all the buildings were semi-permanent. This group of people, men, women and children, had come to live in this dump near the river. They came into a crisis after the coup attempt in Kenya in 1982 when the investment was down, and the whole place was destitute.

Looking back, the most overwhelming feeling I have is astonishment and amazement. The joy that fills me is indescribable when I see the transformation of those children who once roamed the streets.

They now lead dignified lives, contributing to society in meaningful ways. This transformation, after 40 years, is a testament to the hope and potential that many supporters have unlocked.

Our journey has been enriched by the extraordinary people we've met along the way—long-term volunteers, short-term volunteers, secondments, donors, supporters, and friends. Their steadfast support and contributions have been instrumental in developing and continuing MPC's work. It is through their collective efforts that we have been able to make a difference in the lives of so many.

The hope that friends and supporters provided was incredible. Even when we had a need with no foreseen way to address the issues, help came from somewhere. At the very beginning, we had no money. The Sisters of Mercy had provided 5,000 Irish Punt (€1,000) to build the building, but there needed to be more money to pay the teachers. The parish came in for a short time and helped to pay the teachers. Then, there was no money for other buildings, but according to the great need, somebody came in and paid for them.

Moving forward, unfortunately, there are still huge needs. The poor are not getting the services they need from the government at the moment. MPC is supplementing government services while they are needed. Looking ahead, MPC's vision is to empower the community to live a more self-sustainable and dignified life step by step and ensure that the most vulnerable groups' basic needs in the Mukuru community are addressed. I see MPC continuing to supply what the poor need, the poor who are left outside the systems, in health, social welfare, education, and especially vocational job training and services.

I thank God for the incredible journey at Mukuru Promotion Centre and for the wonderful, generous partners, supporters, friends, and family who form this extraordinary tapestry of hope!

ENDS

Photo: Sr Mary Killeen centre (Image from MPC Facebook)