I’ve long been involved with a nonprofit called The Pollination Project that every day gifts a $1,000 seed grant to a group or individual who is making the world a better place.
That’s how I got connected with Sammy Kinyanjui Kamau, Project Coordinator of the Inuka na Gunia project of Nakuru, Kenya. This is their story.
Liz: Let’s start in traditional Smile Project fashion. Give me a Happiness is.
Sammy: Happiness is to help the needy and vulnerable people in the society.
Liz: What is your project?
Sammy: Inuka na Gunia Project targets vulnerable women groups in Visoi Ward, Rongai sub-county. The main goal of the project is to increase vegetable production through the establishment of kitchen gardens by adopting Conservation Agriculture farming technique. This subsequently improves health and nutrition of the target beneficiaries at the household level.
Some individuals the project works with are either infected or affected by HIV/AIDS therefore, they are advised by nutritionists to take a lot of vegetables to build their body immune system. This ultimately reduces cases of malnutrition and death at the community level. The project seeks to increase vegetable production by utilizing locally available materials.
This project contributes to the increase of vegetable production through establishment of wet gardens. Vegetables, (especially traditional vegetables), are known to be very nutritious. A majority of the women groups that the project works with have been advised by nutritionists to consume a lot of vegetables to build their body immune system.
The women are either infected with HIV/AIDS, act as caregivers to their siblings who are HIV positive or are too old to work and are suffering from malnutrition due to poverty. The project also reduces the time wasted in collecting vegetables and the time and energy is channeled somewhere else. The project adopts an organic method of farming thus, reduced usage of chemicals in farming that contribute to diseases like cancer.
Liz: What is the driving force behind what you do?
Sammy: I was not raised on a silver platter since I come from a humble background. Therefore, I understand the pain and suffering that needy and vulnerable people undergo in society.
Liz: What does service mean to you?
Sammy: To serve is to alleviate pain and suffering amongst needy and vulnerable people in the society.
Liz: How can people follow your work?
Sammy: You can follow Kenya Young Farmers Platform on Facebook.
Liz: Do you have a favorite quote or piece of advice to leave us with?
Sammy: Let's work together for a just world.