In Kenya, each school day used to start with a silent crisis: countless children struggled to focus as hunger distracted them. The child development staff from Compassion Kenya observed students grappling with headaches, fatigue, and the constant worry, “When will I eat again?” In 2023, Compassion Canada introduced a new solution: educating families on how to cultivate year-round, nutrient-rich “life gardens” that can nourish children and enhance household incomes, even in regions with limited rainfall.
Compassion Canada developed the Food Resiliency Tripartite Project (FRTP) in collaboration with Compassion Kenya and the nonprofit Thrive for Good (T4G). T4G employs a “growing health” approach that transforms kitchen scraps and a small amount of soil into mini-farms filled with disease-fighting vegetables and herbs. This initiative has an 18-month duration, with a total budget of USD 194,244 (KES 25,251,720), aiming to assist 11,200 individuals, including 2,800 food-insecure caregiver households.
The project covers four counties: Vihiga, Embu, Machakos, and Taita Taveta, each with seven Frontline Church Partners (FCPs). Each partner selected one Life Garden Champion (LGC), resulting in a total of 28 champions. These champions participated in an extensive in-person training session conducted by the Thrive Institute. After completing their training, each champion returned to their community to train 100 volunteer life garden members using a local demonstration plot. By mid-2024, 2,800 caregivers will be successfully managing keyhole gardens that utilize household waste, conserve moisture, and yield leafy vegetables with minimal irrigation. So far, USD 100,000 (KES 13,000,000) has been raised for the project.
The project’s effects are becoming apparent. At Ivola PAG Church in Vihiga County, church leaders have observed significant improvements in household health as caregivers regularly eat pesticide-free vegetables grown in their gardens. Over 75% of caregivers have adopted gardening as a sustainable livelihood, generating a consistent household income through local sales. Excess produce, such as spinach, kale, and amaranth, is reaching nearby markets, bringing dignity, nutrition, and financial relief to families that were once struggling to survive.
In 2023, reports indicated that 10% of Kenya’s population faced acute food insecurity, significantly affecting young children, especially those under five. Undernutrition during this critical period can result in lasting health and developmental issues. This crisis is exacerbated by the fact that 71% of Kenyans rely on rain-fed agriculture, making them particularly vulnerable to climate shocks and environmental degradation. The FRTP tackles this challenge through a regenerative agriculture model designed to improve food resilience, health, and environmental responsibility.
The theory of change is clear. By providing caregivers the chance to learn how to cultivate nutritious, disease-fighting food and supporting them in applying this knowledge consistently with Thrive’s methodology, long-term food security can be achieved, which they can then pass on to others. This model relies on community members contributing land for gardens, shifting from functional to life-giving diets, and engaging in collective learning and sharing. Through these efforts, they contribute to land restoration while nourishing their families and communities.
Contributor: Julius Wairoma, Program Support Specialist, Compassion Kenya
