1. Permaculture Training

Permaculture Training in Kakamega and Vihiga Counties, 2023

We really wanted to empower the families we support in western Kenya to grow their own food, and even sell any excess. A lot of them have land but we realised last year during a visit that they needed training to use it more effectively.

We love collaborating with other charities and when we learnt that SALVE International, who rescue and rehabilitate street children across the border in Uganda, had a permaculture expert, we got working straight away on a plan to bring him to Kenya to share his valuable knowledge and expertise. He came for a week and the benefit and impact was huge!

So far at least 72 families and over 400 people have benefitted, with many more to go. We can see the pride and joy our families have in their shambas. We also provided farm inputs; fertiliser; seeds / seedlings for maize, beans, carrots, spinach, nuts, avocados, mango and other greens; watering cans and sacks for those without much land, and have done follow-up visits to see how the families are getting on.

Joshua taught the families how to plant on seed beds, spacing, how to look after banana trees properly, enrich the soil through cross-planting, make their own fertiliser and to plant twice a year, amongst other things. Those without land were taught sack farming, which is amazing!

Joshua wrote a blog about his time with us and you can read it here: Helping to Change Lives Through Permaculture | SALVE International. How wonderful!

We also give our families fertiliser and seeds to ensure that they are able to grown their own food with dignity.

2. Small Business Support

Providing support to start a small business

The level of unemployment in Kenya is very high and people are really struggling to pay their rent, buy food and pay school fees. People who were previously doing well have now lost their jobs during Covid or their small businesses have collapsed due to the poor economy. They can no longer cope. 

We have started 24 new small businesses in 2023 to help people become independent and support themselves. The average business start-up cost is £215. Please support this initiative and help people help themselves! Please donate here if you would like to support. The businesses are in Nairobi, Kakamega, Nakuru, Kisii, Muhuru Bay and Meru.

We are so happy that a lot of these businesses are already doing well. We have helped with rent for their stall / shop, sewing machines for the tailoring businesses, stock and carpentry if needed for shelves and displays. In addition, we have also helped with emergency aid for house rent, food or fees to help them while they get back on their feet.

We are supporting people doing tailoring; selling clothes and shoes; cooking business making mandazi, chapatti, maize and beans; irrigation machine for their own land to boost crops and renting out the machine to others; beauty parlour with hairdressing and Shellac nails; phone accessories shop and Mpesa agent; barber; a cereals business; a general shop; a roasted maize vendor and other smaller businesses selling vegetables, sesame seeds, fruits and nuts.