Hi, I’m Manuela Pastore – welcome, and thank you for stopping by!

For more than 15 years now, I have been leading and establishing together with local NGOs social entrepreneurial programs in India and Kenya, with a special focus on community activation and systemic change.

This blog is a personal space. It reflects the human side of the journey – the stories, insights, and emotions that don’t always make it into project reports or presentations.

My work takes me frequently to Kenya, not to tourist destinations or luxury resorts, but to slums, rural villages, and communities where daily life is shaped by deep-rooted challenges. I stay with families, listen, learn, and walk alongside those living at or below the poverty line. Together with local social workers, changemakers, and friends, we identify the most urgent needs – whether it’s access to health, education, income, or dignity – and we act on them. As part of the System changer network (SCN) Kenya I act as change architect and organize international partnerships and volunteering programs in Kenya.

Often, our projects in the SCN Kenya start small, with humble resources and a big heart. And always interlinked to each other. We learn by doing, adjust along the way, and grow based on real impact. We work in Nairobi, Homabay, Kendubay, Webuye, Eldoret, and several other locations, in close collaboration with seven local NGOs and other relevant local stakeholders and organizations.

Our focus areas include:

Health and hygiene

Income generation and entrepreneurship

Education and school infrastructure

Inclusion for people with albinism

Elderly care

Youth empowerment and vocational training

Women’s leadership and self-confidence programs

Cultural exchange and community resilience

Our belief is simple but profound: one solution is no solution. We need to address basic needs holistically and in parallel, always grounded in the local reality and led by the people themselves. Strategy only works if it’s co-created, not imposed. Real change comes not from polished PowerPoint decks, but from trust, ownership, and sustained local commitment.

We believe in a better world — with the people, not for them. We believe in self-empowerment, partnerships, mindset shifts, and the power of small actions done with consistency and compassion.

Most of our stories come from Western Kenya, where our hearts and hopes are deeply rooted. If you’re curious to know more, want to connect, or even support in small or big ways – we’d love to hear from you!

Contact me directly: pastore.manuela@googlemail.com

You can also find me on LinkedIn.

More about the local NGOs and the network that they form, the System Changer Network Kenya here

Volunteering offers:

We offer also volunteering programs onsite (from 1 week to 3 months) for interested people between 18 to 70 years, and group weeks such as experience weeks ( on specific topics) , activation weeks (where you support hands-on) and leadership weeks onsite. Interested? Contact me!