Gatunga Community Library & IT Centre (GCLITC)

Gatunga Community Library & IT Centre (GCLITC)

Opening worlds through books and technology

The idea for a fixed community library grew from a desire to build a lasting reading culture beyond school-based remote libraries. Through a partnership with the Women’s Global Education Project (WGEP) and funding from USAID, TWWP established the Gatunga Community Library & IT Centre the first facility of its kind in Tharaka Nithi County. It serves as a safe haven for children sent home for unpaid fees and a source of inspiration for the wider community, offering access to information, technology, and educational opportunities for children, women, and adults alike.

What the Centre Offers

Library services:

General reading across fiction, non-fiction, and academic texts
Digital learning resources
Book lending services that extend learning beyond the building
Empowerment and social programs supporting personal growth and life skills
Interactive, hands-on learning activities for all ages — from playful educational games for children to engaging sessions for teens, youth, and adults

IT services:

Basic Digital Literacy (BDL) - essential computer skills
Cybersecurity Awareness - safe and responsible technology use
Programming and Coding - nurturing innovation and problem-solving among youth
Graphic Design & Creative Arts - unlocking creative and entrepreneurial potential
Computer Networking - building technical capacity for ICT-related careers

The Centre also hosts community sensitization forums on FGM/C, gender-based violence, child rights, and reproductive health, extending its reach well beyond books and computers.

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Our Impact

Serves over 10,000 children, women, and adults
The first facility of its kind in Tharaka Nithi County
Learners who complete the Basic Digital Literacy course have gone on to freelance work in fields like graphic design, turning digital skills into livelihoods
Functions as a hub for both individual growth and community-wide dialogue on issues affecting women and girls

About Us

Founded in 1996 as Ntanira Na Mugambo (Circumcision with Words), Tharaka Women Welfare Programme pioneered Kenya’s first Alternative Rite of Passage, proving that communities can preserve culture while protecting the rights, health, and future of girls. 

Today, TWWP empowers women and children through education, literacy, digital skills, and sustainable livelihoods.