Plan International and CBRE to partner to help keep girls safe in Nairobi

London – Thousands of girls in Nairobi are set to benefit from an innovative programme to make their city safer, thanks to a partnership between global children’s charity Plan International and commercial real estate firm CBRE.

The Safer Cities programme works with girls and young women to help transform urban spaces from potentially dangerous spaces into places of inclusion, tolerance and opportunity.

Plan International has already successfully run the programme in cities worldwide, including Cairo, Kampala, Hanoi, Lima and Delhi. Its innovative approach puts girls’ voices and opinions about how to improve their city at the heart of the project.

The extension in Nairobi, thanks to a £550,000 commitment from CBRE, will reach 4000 young people in Embakasi, one of the poorest parts of the Kenyan capital, over the next two years. The wider community of nearly half a million people will also benefit.

Tanya Barron, CEO of Plan International UK, said: “CBRE and Plan International will work together to re-shape the future of cities for children in some of the world’s poorest communities. 

"For all children, but for girls in particular, economic opportunities are often undermined by the level of danger they face as they try to navigate the city - to go to work or complete their education.

"Plan International’s research, conducted across five major cities around the world, found that girls feel intimidated and in danger in public spaces and on public transport as they try to live their lives in their cities. 

"Thanks to an incredible effort by CBRE, their teams across EMEA have already committed more than £1.1 million since 2014 – giving hope to a generation of children and helping them to build their lives.”

Embakasi, east of central Nairobi, is home to nearly half a million people. Large parts of the area have limited access to appropriate housing, safe spaces for children to play, electricity, sanitation and clean drinking water. There are no street lights – a significant issue highlighted by girls and young women as making them feel unsafe.

The project will target young people aged 10 to 24, and while the principal focus is on girls safety, a quarter of the beneficiaries will be boys, who will learn about how they too can play a role in keeping girls safe.

Martin Samworth, CEO, CBRE EMEA added: “Children face increased risks as well as increased opportunities in a rapidly urbanising world. Every month, the population of those living in cities increases by five million people, and it is estimated that by 2030, approximately 700 million girls will live in urban areas. 

"We are proud to be extending our EMEA-wide partnership with Plan International to help support the Safer Cities programme. This forms an important part of our wider responsible business commitments.” 

CBRE and Plan International have been partners since 2014, working together to transform the lives of 135,000 children, particularly girls, by providing education in Sierra Leone before, during and after the Ebola outbreak.

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Notes to Editors: CBRE & Plan International’s Safer Cities Programme  

The Safer Cities programme will take place in Embakasi, which is located east of the central business district in Nairobi. Embakasi has an estimated population of 500,000 people and the community is one of the poorest in Nairobi. Large parts of Embakasi have limited access to appropriate housing, safe spaces for play and recreation, electricity, sanitation and clean drinking water. There are no street lights in Embakasi, nor street names. Lighting that does exist is vulnerable to power cuts, adding to girls’ feelings of vulnerability. 

CBRE funds will help improve the quality of education for over 4,000 young people, 65% of whom will be adolescents aged 10-19 (the remaining 35% are aged 20-24). While this project focuses on girls’ safety, 25% of the beneficiaries will be boys. Boys will learn about positive masculinities and life skills that help them to be confident ambassadors of girls’ safety in Nairobi. Beneficiaries will be selected following the baseline study, identifying the girls most at risk. We will also work with community leaders and local government to select the girls who will be supported by this project. 

CBRE teams from across the company’s EMEA offices will have the opportunity to visit the country over the two year programme.

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2016 revenue).  The company has more than 75,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide.  CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services.  Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.