PLEWA FAMILY FOUNDATION WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NASIO TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2021: TWO GOATS FUND PROJECT

NASIO TRUST charity background

The Nasio Trust is a UK registered charity and Kenyan NGO which supports orphaned and vulnerable children and empowers communities to break the cycle of poverty by a holistic approach providing education, improving health, food security, psychosocial support and developing commerce. Our strapline of ‘Changing Lives for Good’ reflects the way we help transform the prospects of countless individuals – in Kenya, Tanzania and the UK.

The objective of the Nasio Trust, established over 20 years ago, is to empower communities for social change, helping unlock leadership potentials, and deliver sustainable and scalable ways of addressing the world’s problems by working with communities, individuals, governments, partners and other NGO’s to directly tackle and contribute in ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Introduction

This report covers the partnership work between Plewa Foundation and Nasio Trust to support Eunice Atieno (the mother of Benedict, one of the Nasio sponsored exceptional students and her daughter Michelle) for her subsistence farming in Masinjera village, Mumias West sub-county, Kakamega County of Western Kenya. Eunice depends on small scale farming growing maize, beans and cassava to sustain and meet the needs of her family. She joined the program in 2019.

The program is using One Acre Fund market-based model, with Nasio Trust support, providing access

to expert support and close supervision on modern agricultural techniques throughout the maize farming season, using high quality seeds and fertilizer and agricultural training to help improve quality of crops, improve yields and food security. Surplus produce is sold to generate income enabling her to pay her daughter’s school fees to keep her in education. Her family is also supported in joining NHIF for health insurance.

Project rationale, aims and objectives

Poverty is the greatest barrier to education access in the communities living in poverty.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela

health and help break the cycle of poverty. With improved farming practices and increased crop yields families have the financial means to educate their children. Benefits include:

• Improved food security through increased crop yields and safe storage
• Improved health, education and nutrition for the family.
• Increased income from crop sales, breaking the cycle of poverty at household level through the sales of Sukuma Wiki (Kale), beans, fruits, and maize
• Improved farming techniques
• Better use of land.
• Increased environment awareness and conservation and provision of good quality tree seedlings
• Improved livelihoods through training in basic business skills and access to business loans

 Current Project Status: Project Highlights Sept 2020 – Oct 2021

SEPTEMBER 2020:– Eunice registered with OAF as part of a farming community (second year of joining the program).

NOVEMBER 2020: Eunice is put into a working group with other farmers (maximum 10 in a group) from the same location. Group leaders identified and trained in team management, record keeping and leadership skills.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021:  All farmers including Eunice and her group received quality certified seeds and fertilizer, training in land preparation and planting. Nasio monitored the progress of these activities in collaboration with One Acre Fund staff.

APRIL-JUNE 2021: Further training on weeding, top-dressing, tree planting and conservation.

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021: All farmers were trained on post-harvest handling of their maize crop, storage and marketing.

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER: Farmers are reminded to store surplus for sale when markets are right.

Impact

• Improved initial year before 2019 from 4 to 8 bags of maize in three quarters acre of land.
• Eunice learned new agricultural skills and had access to certified seeds and fertilizer improved reliability of crops compared to previous years
• Food security for the family, from the harvest Eunice has enough maize and vegetables for her family use with surplus to sell
• From the sale of 3 bags she raise Ksh8,400 equivalent of $74 to pay fees for her daughter Michelle to keep her in school and still has 3 bags safely stored
• Reduced level of sickness, the family is healthier since they have food and access to health insurance cover.

Maize Farm Yield comparison before OAF

She is very happy with the program because now she doesn’t experience food shortage and is also able to raise funds to pay fees for her daughter Michelle, her son Benedict is on a full Equity Bank Scholarship. She is confident that she can now confidently educate her children and provide food.

Benedict and his sister Michelle in their maize store after the harvest

Plewa Family Foundation support has enabled Eunice to support her children to have a better quality of life and escape the spiral of poverty and poor health.  Her life and her children’s life is improving as well as her economic conditions; Illnesses are greatly reduced, and health improved.  This project has a lasting impact on her and her family and improving educational opportunities for her two children, especially her daughter Michelle who would probably have dropped out of school due to lack of school fees. Eunice is so grateful.

Eunice and Benedict

Asante Sana – Thank You Very Much