Geographic and demographic details /Geographical area of operation

SEED operates within the Eastlands part of Nairobi. According to the population and Housing Census Vol. 1 report of 1999, Eastlands population was 1,400,000. Eastlands has the highest number of slums in Nairobi and hence a high number of the poor. SEED serves in slums and other semi-slum areas of eastlands.
Some of the main slums in eastlands include; Mathare, Korogocho and Mukuru. Within the same eastlands  are also some semi-slum residential houses and other middle class residential houses.

All the ingredients of poverty are found in the Nairobi slums. Poverty spans in the areas of education, employment, politics, nutrition, information, health, education, housing, water and sanitation. Many of the people living in these slums cannot afford two meals in a day. HIV scourge has left many orphans, widows at the mercy of the society.  Slum Residents are among the poorest households hit hard by HIV/AIDS and who take risks with their lives as they struggle to provide for their families. 

They face many challenges and problems such as:  

• Dysfunctional, separated and single headed families.  Children in these families gradually develop dysfunctional personalities leading to drug abuse, early marriages and child abuse.
• Families run by abandoned children or orphans.
• Promiscuity that results into a high rate of the spread of HIV-AIDS; unstable marriages and unfaithfulness, domestic violence, rape and girls’ exploitation
• Lack of hygiene, basic infrastructures and decent shelter.
• Pulmonary diseases due to pollution
• Children deprived of basic rights of food, shelter, education and health.
• Hunger, malnutrition, unemployment, alcoholism, drug abuse, insecurity.

Although the government talks of cheaper healthcare and education, there are still huge costs to be incurred for any desirable quality service. Promises for better health; waiving of maternity fees and provision of credit to women has been promises not followed to any fruitful gain to the deserving clients.
There are many ways of addressing the problems of poverty. SEED has opted for the most appropriate way for its target group, namely business development, social assistance in education and credit support which is geared towards structural improvement of the lives of the target group. SEED seeks to assist those living in slum and semi-slum areas to continually grow and develop from lesser to higher levels of productivity and to accompany them in ensuring the gains made remain beneficial and sustainable.

SEED pays a special attention to women as they are the most affected and at the same time the most efficient and dedicated agent of change in our society. With them, SEED would like to bring its contribution in achieving the third Millennium Development Goals on reduction of gender disparity and empowerment of women.