Yesterday, I spent just 15 minutes in a rural health facility in Western Kenya — and those minutes spoke louder than any report. A young girl had a severely infected toe. Her nail had to be removed. No painkiller. Not before, not after. The doctor did his best — with almost nothing to work with….
Tag: poverty
Rising Together: How Teenage Mothers Are Turning Poultry Into Power
Discover how a simple backyard poultry project is creating big change in Kenyan communities. From empowering teenage mothers to improving family health and nutrition, this blog explores how SCN Kenya is turning practical skills into lasting resilience, independence, and hope.
Progress at the Teenage Mothers House in Gaaspp!
Just a few weeks ago, the Teenage Mothers House in Webuye was only an idea — bricks, dreams, and determination. Today, it’s already taking shape: a safe space where young mothers can rebuild their lives, learn, and care for their children. This transformation is powered by the Bungoma Outreach group and the incredible generosity of…
From Slum Streets to Story Worlds – How a Small Library in Eldoret Is Turning Bystanders into Changemakers
Two years ago, in the heart of the Langas slum in Eldoret, a quiet but powerful transformation began: the creation of a small library at the Solasa Community Center, part of the System Changer Network (SCN) Kenya. For many children and adults here, books have always been rare treasures. In most homes, there’s no money…
Can Business Help Vulnerable Communities Break Free from Poverty? ( series #14)
We often hear the phrase: “Treat your social project like a business.” The trend is around impact investments. It’s advice that sounds smart — efficiency, clear goals, measurable results. But when we’re talking about holistic regional change in vulnerable geographies, is business thinking enough? The short answer: Yes… but only if we redefine what “business-like”…
Systemic Change in Action: The V.I.C.C.O Knowledge Hub in Mukuru Slum
Safe, Skilled, Systemic: How Grassroots Innovation Builds Real Value In Nairobi’s Mukuru slums, where daily life presents countless challenges, the V.I.C.C.O Knowledge Hub is creating space for safety, learning, and transformation. Embedded in the System Changer Network Kenya, V.I.C.C.O takes a holistic approach to community-led change — turning local knowledge into scalable, systemic solutions. A…
Beyond CSR: Invest in Systemic Change
What if corporate engagement in Africa went beyond one-off projects and topic driven initiatives — and focused in addition on building the systems that empower long-term change? At System Changer Network Kenya, we unite grassroots NGOs working on education, health, resilience, and poverty reduction. These organizations develop practical, local solutions, share knowledge, and gain international…
No Girl Left Behind: Menstrual Health as a Gateway to Systemic Change
No girl should ever miss school, feel ashamed, or suffer in silence because of her period. Yet for millions of girls and women across Kenya and beyond, menstruation remains a barrier—one that affects education, confidence, participation in daily life, and access to opportunity. Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, we reaffirm our commitment not only to…
Series #6: It’s not always about funds. Structured collaboration for sustainable impact.
Changing How We Support Those Who Need It Most In times of growing uncertainty, real impact isn’t created by isolated projects—it’s built through shared knowledge, trusted relationships, and structured collaboration. That’s the strength of our System Changer Networks (SCN) in Kenya and India: intentional, values-driven networks of grassroots NGOs working together for holistic and lasting…
Exposure to Other Realities: A Key to Growth and Bridging Inequality
Series #1: Exposure to other realities is not a luxury—it’s essential for growth, development, and innovation. And it’s a powerful tool for bridging the gap between rich and poor! In the past weeks, I’ve shared insights from our colleagues and leaders , managers from different countries, who visited the System Changer Network India, engaging with…
Engaging for a better world – Are you a CSR leader or decision maker in a company?
Change starts with understanding the root causes and by building relationships of trust with vulnerable communities – key learnings from experiences onsite. Because understanding and listening before deciding how to engage makes a big difference! Every village differs. Women development is cool. But not if we forget about men development. Have you ever thought about…
Are you interested to invest in society, to support the most vulnerable and to make the gap between rich and poor smaller – while creating a win for you and your employees?
Then experience first what you invest in and then decide where you become active! This not about financing a project, it’s about understanding the needs, working on solutions together with communities and to see how you can make the biggest impact to enable the needy to empower themselves! From theory to practice – that’s what…