We believe in system approaches and networking when it comes to the development of communities living at or even under the poverty line – that’s how we run the system changer network Kenya in co-creation with local NGOs, social enterprises and most of all with the local communities.

Next week our 2nd system changer network meeting will take place in Webuye, Kenya. The leaders and also one community member of each NGO will come together in a three day meeting to discuss the outcome of the past and how to optimize even further the system and structures on how we all work together and exchange.

After the lunch last year in February, a lot of activities in our 8 Core partner NGOs have created a huge impact in the local communities. From Bungoma county and Guasin Gishu county to Nairobi’s slum areas, from Lake Victoria (Homa Bay) even to Machakos county. The specific approach we all committed to: people living at the poverty line are empowered in many ways to tackle many basic needs they encounter in daily life in parallel: health awareness and hygiene trainings sessions including a “hands-on” First Aid training, basic business and digital skills, solutions for water issues, general education, income generation through innovative farming, poultry and other animal growth, cultural awareness where all interested community members connect and present on how their own habits and cultures look – even in an international exchange-, leadership trainings for the informal community leaders…

The trainers were selected based on the needs of the communities – social entrepreneurs, employees and local NGO trainers.

The structures we built to create a movement of change have led already too a much bigger impact than isolated activities and programs would have done. With a lot of trust in our NGOs and community leaders the trainings that we started in a few locations have reached all. Many exchanges among the network partners and peer- to peer trainings within the networked communities created have taken place.

Now it’s time to take the next steps. Stay tuned!