USIU-Africa students during the donation ceremony at the Dandora Hip Hop Club. The donated materials will be used to spruce up public spaces in Dandora.

By Dr. Elijah Munyi

Through the efforts of one of its students, Ms. Nyambura Maruga, USIU-Africa recently donated scrap yard materials for re-use by Dandora Hip Hop City (DHC), a Community Based Organization whose aim is to create and enhance transformational spaces for young talented residents of Dandora to hone their artistic and entrepreneurial skills.

The donation of the scrap yard materials, some of which date back as far as 2007, was coordinated and overseen by USIU-Africa’s head of maintenance, Ms. Leah Gichuki. The mutually beneficial exchange saw the USIU-Africa empty its scrap yard to create space for new material and a workshop. The material would be used by Dandora Hip Hop City to spruce up public spaces around Dandora. The DHC Program Manager Mr. Charles Lukania thanked the University and praised its commitment to community service, while commending the students on their interest in carrying out impactful community projects.

DHC was founded by members of Ukoo Flani, one of Kenya’s best known artists from Dandora. Ms. Nyambura, has a long running engagement with DHC as their fundraising officer and the appeal for the donation was also done as part of her internship course in fulfilling requirements for her undergraduate degree in International Relations.