Project Description

Cultivating Change: A Model Kitchen Garden Initiative to Enhance Nutrition for Refugees, a community-based project designed to address food insecurity and poor nutrition among refugees. Through the creation of sustainable kitchen gardens, the project will empower participants with the skills and resources needed to grow their own nutritious food, build community resilience, and reclaim food sovereignty. The overall goal is to improve the health and well-being of refugees while creating a replicable model for inclusive, dignified, and self-sustaining food systems.

Project History

The inspiration for this project came from two deeply impactful experiences. The first was a visit to a small model farm run by a passionate and resourceful farmer in the neighboring town of Kiserian. On a modest plot of land, this farmer had created a thriving, self-sustaining garden that not only fed his family but also served as a learning center for others in the community. Witnessing how much could be achieved in such a small space sparked the idea that kitchen gardens could be a powerful tool for change, even in semi-urban settings.

The second source of inspiration came from personal interactions and observations within refugee communities in semi-urban areas. Many individuals face ongoing food insecurity, often relying on irregular aid or skipping meals due to lack of access or resources. Seeing this daily struggle, and hearing stories of both resilience and hardship, made it clear that there was a need for a solution that was not just sustainable, but empowering. These two experiences came together to form the foundation of Cultivating Change—a project that merges practical farming innovation with the urgent nutritional needs and dignity of refugees.

Project Mission

The mission of the Cultivating Change initiative is to enhance the nutrition, food security, and self-reliance of refugee communities by promoting sustainable, community-led kitchen gardens. Through practical agricultural training, access to nutritious food, and the empowerment of refugee groups, the project aims to foster healthier, more resilient communities where refugees can thrive with dignity and independence.

Project Budget

Quantity Item Description Unit Cost Total Item Cost 5 Hoes $6 $30 15 Gloves $3 $45 5 Watering Cans $5 $25 5 Trowel $7 $35 15 Kale seedlings $3 $45 15 Carrot Seeds $2 $30 15 Brocoli seeds $3 $45 15 Capsicum seeds $3 $45 10 Tomato seeds $4 $40 15 Carbage seeds $3 $45 10 Eggplant seeds $5 $50 10 Onion seeds $6 $60 2 Water Tank $50 $100 1 Hosepipe (200 Inches) $30 $30 2 Training & workshops $150 $300 1 Communication $25 $25 1 Monitoring & Evalution $50 $50

	Total Requested: 		$1000

We aim to make a direct and meaningful impact by establishing and supporting kitchen garden units for refugee households, particularly those most affected by food insecurity and poor nutrition. These small-scale gardens will enable families to grow their own nutritious vegetables, improving their daily diets and overall well-being. Your support will help us provide essential resources such as seeds and seedlings for high-nutrient crops like spinach, kale, tomatoes, and herbs. In addition, we will supply basic gardening tools, soil enhancers, and composting materials to ensure the gardens are productive and sustainable. We will also conduct training workshops for participants, covering topics such as sustainable gardening practices, climate-smart agriculture, composting, and nutrition education. These sessions are designed to empower participants with the knowledge and confidence to maintain their gardens independently. Furthermore, the grant will support the introduction of water-efficient irrigation methods, which are vital in resource-constrained settings. These innovations help ensure that gardens can thrive even in dry conditions, making the initiative more sustainable and scalable. In essence, your grant will directly support a refugee family in gaining access to healthy food, reducing dependency on food aid, and building a sense of dignity, ownership, and resilience. It's a small gift that plants the seed for lasting change.

A Story of Resilience:

Amina’s Garden When Amina, a 34-year-old Somali refugee and single mother of three, arrived in Kenya, she had nothing but the clothes on her back and the trauma of fleeing war. Resettled in a refugee settlement outside Nairobi, Amina struggled daily to feed her children. Rations were never enough, and buying vegetables from the market was a luxury she couldn’t afford. Most days, the family survived on boiled maize and tea—meals with little to no nutritional value. When Amina heard about the Cultivating Change kitchen garden initiative, she was skeptical. She had never farmed before. “In Somalia, I lived in a city. My hands were made for cooking, not planting,” she laughed during her first training session. But she joined, driven by the hope of feeding her children something green—something fresh. With the support of our team, Amina received a small starter kit: seeds for kale, spinach, onions, and carrots; a hoe; and a water drum. She attended workshops where she learned how to compost kitchen waste, plant in small plots, and conserve water using locally made drip systems. Within weeks, the first sprouts emerged. “The day I picked our first spinach leaves, my children clapped,” she recalled with tears in her eyes. “We made sukuma wiki with tomatoes. It tasted like home.” Now, Amina’s garden feeds her family daily. She even sells extra vegetables to neighbors, earning enough to buy school supplies and medicine. Her once-barren backyard is now alive with green, and her children are healthier, smiling more often. She has become a mentor to other refugee women who want to start gardens of their own. For Amina, the garden is more than food. It is hope, healing, and a way to regain control over a life shaped by displacement.