During my visit a few days back in Mukuru slums at our NGO partner TENDO (let by our Making More Health fellow Sam Agutu) we had a great moment of joy together: we could celebrate the full certification of the first three hygiene products – a TENDO shampoo, a TENDO multipurpose detergent and a TENDO jelly for skin care. All made by our vulnerable community members. From the first testing to the full license it took nearly a year.

The full certification now is the door opener to sell alle these products to every restaurants, hotels, schools, churches – all across Kenya. The right production standards, hygiene environments and chemical formula behind is fully accepted by the official authorities.

Now the marketing and sales at a large scale will start

This fact will help ca 50 community members living in very poor conditions in Mukuru slums to start selling thus increasing significantly their daily income which actually is around 1-2 EUR per day for the whole families behind.

“Better health is possible only with some money in your pockets,“ explains Sam. “That’s why we have focused so much on making the production of these products possible and also receiving the full certification. We have started now with a large production and also to sell in bulks – not just within the informal settlement, but also outside which will give us a much better profit.” Money that is urgently needed to empower our community to invest in better nutrition, basic health insurance, education for the children…

I was amazed to see the spirit of hope in the group and their willingness to learn even more. Some health trainings such as a FIRST AID course has already taken place. Step by step we will add a lot of training sessions to raise a better awareness and understanding in health & hygiene, safety, education, business and digital skills that will help our community members to be able to empower themselves.

There is still a lot to do. But we are on a good way!