Upendo
Homa Bay County, Kenya has a lush landscape comprised of hills and valleys, farmlands, and small towns. Local markets are bustling with people selling goods, produce, and fish. But the landscape is changing. The hills are now bare as a result of deforestation, and the fish sold at the market is not local but imported.
In the town of Oyugis, a grassroots organization aims to respond to the needs of the Homa Bay County community.
Upendo Foundation International is comprised of 14 dedicated people working to equalize the poverty gap in the community through long-term planning and support.
Upendo’s work is an interconnected web that provides the community with the five basic needs of life; food, health, education, environmental and socio-economic security. One of their foremost projects is providing food security through self-sustaining farming and micro-financing. They support various community groups for widows, farmers, women, and youth through education and training. They teach conservation farming and provide mentorship, as well as monetary support and scholarships.
