The Rotary Club of Langata (RCL) hosted its ground-breaking Pitch Pot 001, a community-driven competition that brought together 14 local changemakers, each competing for a 100,000 Kenyan Shillings prize to scale their social impact ventures.
Besides being a pitch contest, the event, which was held at Nairobi Club, also served as a celebration of the innovative solutions being developed by ordinary people to tackle the toughest challenges facing Kenya today.
The winner, determined by popular vote, took home the entire prize pool, underscoring the importance of community in driving social change.
“This event isn’t just about showcasing great ideas. It is about empowering the people who are already making a difference,” said Erick Sangoro, President of the Rotary Club of Langata.
Among the 14 competing ventures was Books and Beyond, a literacy and creativity initiative spearheaded by the Rotaract Club of the University of Nairobi.
This project revitalized Dala Library in Mua Hills, Machakos, transforming it into a colourful, child-friendly space for over 150 children to access books and art supplies.
Another standout was Little Lights Tutoring Club, a play-based education initiative led by three young siblings from Kiserian. Ages seven to 11, they taught younger children essential literacy and numeracy skills through storytelling, games, and songs.
“Pitch Pot showed that when people come together, they can make a huge impact,” said Emmanuel Otieno, an event organizer with RCL. “These ventures are a testament to the resilience and creativity of Kenyans who are committed to solving the challenges they face every day.”
Chartered in 2002, the Rotary Club of Langata is one of Nairobi’s most active Rotary clubs, committed to creating lasting change through local service projects. As part of Rotary International, a global network of over 1.2 million members, RCL continues to support grassroots innovation, education, health, and community empowerment.