Through My Eyes-support for caregivers

Binti-leadership training and entrepreneurial support for women

GPA made a grant of $5000 in 2020 to Binti and subsequently made an additional $4000 grant to support the organization during the COVID pandemic. The main goal of the project was to build foundations for young women to economically empower themselves and positively influence communities through entrepreneurship. This overall goal was achieved through the Anza program. Anza, meaning
start in Swahili provided enterprise acceleration services to 20 young women in Nairobi and Samburu counties. In 2023 the program was awarded an additional $10,000 to expand the program reaching more women.

Afrigirl Connect-leadership training for young women

Afrigirl Connect, Kenya

In late 2021 GPA was proud to grant $5000 to Afrigirl Connect to support leadership training for young women. The girls had mentors, attending leadership seminars and leaned to sell Afrigirl merchandise that included reusable menstrual pads allowing the girls to retain the profits of their sales. Shortly thereafter, GPA also provided an additional $2000 as a COVID support grant that allowed the organization to increase their digital marketing capabilities.

As a result, the project engaged five mentors and worked with 100 girls forming the Afrigirls Club. 48% of the girls remained in school, 30% increased academic performance in all subjects, there was an increases in confidence and problem solving abilities and a significant increase in autonomy and leadership skills.

City Shamba–urban gardening: protecting the environment, producing food and jobs

In October 2021 GPA provided a $5000 grant to City Shamba to create unique, vertical, urban gardens. 15 youth participated in learning and creating urban gardens that are now used for farming and sustainable livelihoods. Twenty community groups in outlying settlements were trained in managing the vertical gardens and have technical support from Shamba. The organization developed a black soldier fly farm whose larvae produce organic fertilizer that is supplied to the farm. Finally, the organization created a urban garden community center to continue to promote the work and offer technical assistance.

As their leadership states, “Indeed, to deal with the greatest challenges facing humanity, we need disruptive and human centered transformative ideas. In us lie the solutions to these challenges, we only need to embrace the solutions and act towards their realization. Let us be on the right side of history. Together towards the crafting of a better world.”

Youth creating vertical gardens.

Shine: 25 creatives learn business and marketing skills, creating jobs

In October 2021 GPA provided Shine a program-related grant in the amount of $5000 and a COVID special grant in the amount of $2358.00. Shine provided scholarships to 25 women and non-binary entrepreneurs to learn vital skills to create and promote their business. Modules included reaching customers, building community, pricing for profit and general wellness concepts. The COVID related grant provided additional funding to allow the organization to operate during the quarantine period. These funds increased the online presence of SHINE and allowed for additional modules to meet the growing needs of entrepreneurs. After training, 10 scholarship participants entered into mentorships/internships with local professionals to further develop skills and experience.

 

Sisbros of Zion: community based training and job placement

GPA was able to support Sisbros of Zion in July 2019 with a $5000 grant so that they could train youth in various needed skills including tailoring. The organization worked with local businesses to offer job placement. 75 youth participated. 10 youth developed a venture that produces school uniforms, 40 are fully employed.

the tailoring classroom

Kenya Youth Biodiversity Network: training youth in agribusiness

With your support GPA was able to grant $4600 to Kenya Youth Biodiversity network in 2019. This organizations trained 25 youth in agribusiness and raising farm animals. Eventually the organization will build an agricultural training center.

GPA was also able to support the organization with a $5000 grant as they had to re-tool during the COVID crisis to be able to store and preserve some of the products they are growing.

Empower and Serve Kenya: coding for Kenyan women

With a $4300 grant from GPA, Empower and Serve Kenya developed an innovative alliance with local organizations to identify and train young Kenyan women in coding, web design and digital media and support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors.  Their “DigiLab” concept initially trained 76 women and girls, including several “trainers.”  GPA has provided a second level grant of $10,000 to expand and replicate the program in other economically depressed areas of the region.

Pregmum: developed a maternal/fetal heart and blood pressure device for women in remote locations

Through a GPA grant of $5000 in November 2017 the Pregmum team created a fetal heart and maternal blood pressure monitor that can continuously monitor the heart rate of pregnant women in remote areas of Kenya. The device communicates medical information to a community health worker or doctor who is able to remotely assess if additional medical intervention is necessary. This device has the potential to significantly improve maternal/fetal heath and improve infant mortality rates.

Timothy and John, Pregmum founders

A patient using the Pregmum device to monitor her baby

Arinifu: Developing technology to support poultry farmers

Through a GPA grant of $5000 in November 2017 Arinufu developed a “smart brooder” –this is a device monitors the temperature of a newborn chicks’ environment and reports any variance via an app to the farmer. This ensures optimal temperature for survival, increasing profits for poultry farmers.  The organization notes that there are 1.6 million poultry farmers in Kenya and the mortality rate for chicks can be as high as 99% The smart brooder is a smart solution.

Arinifu: developing technologies to improve poultry farmers’ yield.

The Arinifu “smart brooder”