Parishes in Slums: Ruaraka Deanery

• Nairobi Ruaraka Deanery - Parishes in Slums and Informal Settlements

• St. Joseph Mukasa Parish - Kahawa West
• Holy Mary Mother of God - Githurai
• St. Benedict - Thika Road
• St. clare of Assisi - Kasarani
• St. Joseph - Kahawa Sukari
• Queen of the Apostles – Ruaraka

• Central Deanery - Parishes in Slums and Informal Settlements
• Nairobi Eastlands Deanery - Parishes in Slums and Informal Settlements
• Nairobi Western Deanery - Parishes in Slums and Informal Settlements in
• Nairobi Makadara Deanery - Parishes in Slums and Informal Settlements

St. Joseph Mukasa - Kahawa Parish

Introduction
Kahawa West Parish was born out of "Queen of Apostles" Ruaraka. The late Cardinal Maurice Otunga gave Kahawa the parish status in 1992, under the Pastoral guidance of the Consolata Missionaries. It has been given as a patron Saint St. Joseph Mukasa . Kahawa West, is the Parish center, and it serves three outstations namely: Consolata Kahawa Farmers, St. Peter and Paul Kamae-Kiwanja, and St. Francis of Assisi, Soweto . Fr. Thomas Barbero was the first Parish Priest .Currently,

Fr. Franco Cellana is the Parish Priest assisted by Fr. Charles Jaggwe.

Geographical Location
Kahawa Parish is 25 k/m from the City center in an easterly direction along Thika and Kamiti road.

The main features bordering the parish are Kenyatta University and Kahawa Barracks in the North-East, Kamiti Prison in the West and Kamiti road in the South. Currently it has an estimated multi-ethnic population of 500,00.

Highlights of the Parish
(i) Kahawa West- St. Joseph Mukasa (Parish Centre).
It has a fast growing middle class population.
Part of it is a Site-and-Service settlement with all the social amenities. The rest is characterized by self developed houses with inadequate infrastructure like roads and sewers. There is a slow improvement of those pathetic facilities.
There is a Pastoral Center with different offices and facilities for seminars, and thirty two beds.
Of paramount importance the Church which is under construction will have an Adoration chapel.

(ii) Kahawa Farmers- Our Lady of Consolata
A rapidly growing middle class settlement that has developped in a formerly coffee and maize growing area.
The residents are either workers in the city or business persons.
This Church is also under construction needing the last finishing like floor, windows, glasses etc.

(iii) Kamae-Kiwanja- St. Peter and Paul
A very low income settlement on land that formerly belonged to Kenyatta University.
Incidence of poverty is high arising from acute unemployment. Casual labour, coffee picking and brewing of illicit alcohol characterize life in the area. Crime rate is also high since the youth have no employment opportunities.

(iv) Soweto- St. Francis of Assisi
An informal settlement on land that belongs to the City Council; It is characterized by very poor overcrowded housing conditions, absence of basic infrastructure like roads, sewer and electricity.
There is absolute poverty, unemployment, idleness, prostitution, brewing of illicit alcohol, and crime are the main features of social economic life. There is an upgrading project in progress sponsored by the Italian Embassy and UN-Habitat. The upgrading project focuses on the following areas: toilets, sewer, roads, and houses.

Pastoral Presence and Initiatives in the Parish.

1. Consolata Fathers.
They are involved in integral, human, spiritual and social promotion of different activities that include: the announcement of the Word of God in the 49 small Christian communities, Retreats ,Celebration of Sacraments, Catechesis Adoration to the Holy Eucharist, Office Service-in particular.- Spiritual development and welfare of the Christians.
- Help for the poor of the Parish.
- Support for the sick
- Sponsorship for the orphans and the vulnerable families.
- Upgrading efforts in the slums -houses, water, roads, toilets. In November 2005, partnership with
Adopt a Light, help to install a lamp post in Soweto. This project has changed life in the slum in many ways.
- Pambazuka Recreational Center.
- Have partnered to offer computer services at affordable fees

2. Consolata Sisters
They started the work in the Parish in 1995. Their work consists in:

• Projects to help the sick and the poor with hospital expenses.
• Support with relief food
• Projects to help prisoners in Kamiti Prison and especially the youth prisoners
• Tailoring school targeting women and young mothers to empower them for their life

3. Elizabethan Sisters

They started to work in the Parish in 1992

• They run Vendramini Education Centre, that has a primary school and three pre-nurseries in the outstations.
• They administer a feeding programme that has helped improve the quality of learning among the slum children.
• They run St. Joseph Mukasa Dispensary-an affordable hospital among the people of Kahawa.
• Have a VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing)
• Support HIV infected and affected persons-individually and in a group

4. Mary Immaculate Sisters
They came into the Parish in the early 1997.

• They run a successful primary school "Mary Immaculate" in Kahawa Farmers
• They have a school "Mary Immaculata" that caters for orphan girls and girls from vulnerable families.
• They are involved in the Youth ministry and catechesis among children

5. Community Pope John 23rd
They started to work in the Parish in 1995

• They sponsor the Primary and Secondary Education of orphans and vulnerable children.
• Run HIV/PMCTC Projects
• Offer relief food to families in Soweto and Kamae
• They have a feeding programme for the aged
• Run an adult education programme
• Cater for hospitalization/Hospital bills for the very poor.
• Manage a rehabilitation programme for street children
• Support a pre-nursery and baby class

Structure of the Parish
There are 48 Christian communities ; 20 at Kahawa West; 17 at Kahawa Farmers; 6 at Soweto, 5 at Kamae.
The Parish has 7 Ministries (Hudumas) namely: Justice and Peace; Poor and Sick; Marriage; Liturgy; Ecumenism; Youth & Children; Catechism.
Each outstation is administered under the local council.
The Parish council is made up of the Parish Executive members and representation of the Apostolic Groups namely: CMA, CWA, Youth, Marriage Encounter, Catechists, Choir , St. Joseph, single Mothers Group, Office Secretary and Charismatics.
Each Small Christian Community is administered under the Executive Committee and the Ministries (Wahudumu), under the protection and assistance of our Lady of Africa and St. Joseph Mukasa.

The Parish Pastoral Priorities

• Charism of consolation (Gospel of Culture)
• Catechesis and preparation for Christian Rite.
• Integral human promotion (special attention to the poor and projects of development).
• To improve facilities of education at the three nursery schools and Vendramini school.
• To offer a better service to the people of HIV-AIDS. (Bethania and Kahawa west Oasis of hope group.)

Networking

1. The Ruaraka Deanery made up of 8 Parishes.
2. Exodus-Kutoka Network of 12 Parishes of the slums in Nairobi.
3. MUSEN-Mustard Seed Ecumenical Network of different Churches in Nairobi.

Contacts:
Fr. Franco Cellana- Parish priest-Kahawa West
Mr. Mathew Kibe - Communication - kibemathew@yahoo.com
Ms. Mary Muthoni - Parish Secretary.

Time Table:
6.00 pm - Every day Eucharist at St. Joseph Mukasa - Kahawa West
Sunday Masses:

Kahawa West (Parish center): 7.30 am. Kiswahili; 9.00 am. English; 10.30 am. Kiswahili
Kahawa Farmers: 8.30 am. Kiswahili
Kamae/Kiwanja: 8.00 am. Kiswahili
Soweto 10.00 am. Kiswahili