´Chill and Stay Alive Self Help Group’
- Project in Kibera, Nairobi’s biggest slum area -

This project, formerly named as 'KICOSHEP STAY ALIVE- Group' was founded in 1998 by Gaudenshia Omoga and Dinah Saisi as a project of the NGO KICOSHEP (Kibera Community Self Help Programme). The sewing-school started out with students. Since then this number has increased due to an enhancing demand. Currently 25 students attend the classes in order to pass the official national ‘tailor-certificate’.
Concerning the curriculum there is still a focus on sewing and tailoring. Additionally the students are taught in basket making, knitting, batik printing and other handiworks.

During the educational training great importance is attached to the acquirement of additional knowledge in terms of personal hygiene and health care as well as HIV/AIDS-prevention. Further more there are classes in reading, writing, calculating, corporate planning and accountancy.
Regarding the selection of participants those students are favoured that are either AIDS orphans or in any other way directly or indirectly affected by the disease. Particularly those kids should obtain a new perspective for their lives as they can acquire skills that will enable them to generate their own income and to support their families.
In April 2005 the project was outsourced from the NGO KICOSHEP and since then the group struggles to stand on its own feet. After a succesful 7-year-period of cooperation with KICOSHEP internal reasons caused the decision to continue with the sewing-school as an independent project. As a consequence the group got a new name (‘CHILL AND STAY ALIVE SELF HELP GROUP’) and is registered at the responsible Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services.