Flourishing and Resilient Communities

May Edition 2025

Dear Friends and Partners,

Greetings from the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF). As a community foundation, we exist to support sustainable community-driven development in Kenya.

We work with communities and duty-bearers to sustainably organise and address systemic barriers that perpetuate power imbalances, social injustice and poverty, hindering sustainable development. This month, we’re excited to share inspiring stories of impact, innovation, and community resilience.

In this edition, we spotlight our community partner, Pal Omega, from Kisumu County. Their social enterprise, Pal Green Hub, is more than just an onion farming project. It’s a thriving initiative that has created over 10 jobs, primarily for youth and women from nearby informal settlements. With a drip irrigation system, a new nursery, and a clear business plan, they’re growing more than crops—they’re growing hope, dignity, and opportunity.

We're excited to share impact from Mombasa County, where KidsCare Kenya, has achieved 46% increase in school enrolment of children with disability over the past year, reaching 31 learners and exceeding their initial project target. From young changemakers in Nairobi to green tech pioneers and grassroots entrepreneurs, this edition is bursting with real stories of transformation, resilience, and homegrown solutions.

We thank you for your partnership and for always taking the time to read our newsletters.

Enjoy the read and have a successful month ahead.

Grace Maingi,

Executive Director, KCDF.

Cultivating hope in Kisumu: Pal Omega's green hub, growing more than just onions

What began as a modest onion farming initiative has quietly sprouted into something far more profound in Kisumu’s East and Central sub-counties. The engine of this transformation is Pal Omega, a community-based organisation whose social enterprise, Pal Green Hub, a crop production firm, is improving livelihoods, dignity, and new possibilities for the most underserved.

Pal Omega is nurturing a social enterprise named Pal Green Hub, which combines sustainable agriculture with community empowerment. Supported by KCDF through capacity-building and resource mobilisation mentorship and with funding from the Ford Foundation, the organisation has launched an ambitious onion farming project that’s creating meaningful change at both household and systemic levels.

The enterprise has already created over 10 employment opportunities, primarily engaging youth and women from the surrounding informal settlements.

The organisation has established a nursery, implemented a drip irrigation system, and is currently transplanting onion seedlings, thanks to a business plan carefully crafted with the help of a consultant.

Read more on this story HERE.

Empowering youth voices through open contracting: A unified story of progress, impact and partnership

In the busy town of Ahero, Kisumu County, a motivated group is working to drive positive change by encouraging meaningful, grassroots conversations between citizens and their leaders. Their goal is to strengthen community voices and promote inclusive local decision-making. At the heart of this transformation is the Transform Empowerment for Action Initiative (TEAM), a grassroots civil society organisation redefining citizen engagement and good governance in Kenya.

Much of this work has been made possible through the support of KCDF under the Giving for Change programme, funded by Wilde Ganzen. This programme supports grassroots organisations in implementing advocacy campaigns and mobilising support, particularly under the ‘Enabling Environment’ focus area. On this collaborative platform, they bring together civil society organisations, activists, and government actors to champion inclusive policy change and improved public service delivery.

For years, residents of Nyando Sub-County, like many others across Kenya, struggled with inadequate public services, poor policy implementation, and a lack of meaningful channels to voice their concerns. But that tide is changing, thanks to TEAM’s persistent efforts to connect communities with decision-makers and promote accountability through its “Huduma Mashinani” model, bringing governance closer to the people.

Read more on this story HERE.

From stigma to strength: How KidsCare is transforming the lives of children with disabilities

In a quiet village tucked along Kenya’s coast, laughter rings out from a modest compound where children with disability gather to learn and thrive. This is the central hub of Kids Care Kenya, a community-based organisation focused on changing the story of children living with disabilities and their families through compassion, advocacy, and innovation.

For decades, disability in rural Kenya has been shrouded in stigma, often leaving children isolated and without support. However, today we are dancing to a different tune, thanks to the relentless efforts of KidsCare and the support of KCDF and Comic Relief.

Through this partnership, KidsCare Kenya has witnessed a significant shift in community attitudes toward children with disabilities, leading to greater acceptance and inclusion. This impact is evident in the 46% increase in school enrollment of children with disabilities over the past year, rising to 31 learners, surpassing the initial project target.

Read the full story HERE

AACOSE8: Championing social enterprise and collaboration 

From 14th–16th May, 2025, KCDF participated in the 8th African Conference on Social Entrepreneurship (AACOSE8) under the theme “Champion the Social Economy.” The event united innovators, changemakers, and civil society organisations to explore community-driven solutions and how to build sustainable enterprises.

KCDF proudly spotlighted four community partners: Ecorich Solutions Limited, Placom Manufacturers, and Farmer Lifeline Technologies, all supported through the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge and Living Positive Kenya. These organisations showcased powerful, practical innovations reshaping their communities.

Beyond exhibitions, KCDF led thought-provoking sessions, including a Social Finance panel, which spoke on Social Finance for Social Economy and a MasterClass on Social Entrepreneurship with the SME Support Centre. These sessions emphasised financial sustainability, risk management, and the strategic leadership needed for mission-driven growth.

AACOSE8 reaffirmed that when local communities are equipped with the right tools and support, they can lead their development through innovation and enterprise. Read the full story HERE.

Building sustainable Impact: KCDF equips partners with skills in reporting, evaluation and social enterprise development

On May 26 and 27, 2025, KCDF convened a Financial and Narrative Reporting workshop in Nairobi, bringing together 17 community partners supported by the Mott Foundation and the East Africa Resilience Resource Hub.

The workshop sought to enhance partners’ capacity in financial sustainability, community foundation development, reporting practices, and impact-driven programming.

It started with an in-depth exploration of the concept and role of community foundations in promoting locally led development.

Read the full update HERE.