Torch Initiatives

16/05/2026

Honoured to be part of the final Thrive Africa Accelerator 2026 webinar on 21st May as we prepare for Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week 2026. Looking forward to sharing practical experiences on community mobilisation, partnerships, and building impactful local campaigns across Thrive Africa

Dear Plant-Based Food Advocates,

As we conclude the Thrive Africa Accelerator 2026, we warmly invite you to join our final webinar - a session designed to equip and inspire leaders preparing to host the Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week 2026 in their communities.

This webinar will focus on the key drivers of successful community activation: mobilising people, building meaningful partnerships, and creating lasting impact.

We are honoured to welcome two special guests:

• Virginia Ruguru
A community outreach coordinator and advocate for plant-based food systems, leading Initiatives to promote plant-based diets. Under Torch Initiatives she has engaged over 2,000 students, 500 women, and 1,000 youth in Kenya, highlighting the role of culturally rooted food systems in addressing health challenges and the wider impacts of industrial animal agriculture.

Nicola Vernon
Founder & Director of Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary

Date: Thursday, 22 May 2026
Time: 5:00 PM EAT

We look forward to seeing you .

12/05/2026

I got over 300 reactions on one of my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

05/05/2026

Glad to be attending this conference

Plant-based nutrition in life and practiceThe evidence is clear. Plant-based nutrition is a powerful lever for sustainable health. It’s available every day, in every meal.This one-day conference brings together leading experts, practitioners, and individuals to share what the research is showing ....

23/04/2026

A visit to Mulango Farm gave us a new perspective on animals.

Here, animals are not kept for production, they are simply allowed to live. No milking. No pressure. Just care. Treated as fellow beings, not resources.

I found myself asking, can this really work in our African context?
Because we are used to a different relationship—animals are often shooed away, not raised with affection. But here, I saw the opposite. One cow even came close for affection, like a dog. It made me reflect deeply on how environment shapes behavior.

The question many will ask is: “Then what will we drink? Where will milk come from?”
Yet the good book reminds us: “I give you every seed-bearing plant… and every tree that has fruit… they will be yours for food.” — Genesis 1:29

Milk can come from plants—almonds, soy, and more. And in doing so, we also begin to address growing health concerns and the realities of climate change.

Perhaps this is not something foreign, but a quiet return to what was always intended. 🌱

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals.” — Proverbs 12:10

Maybe it’s time we rethink and slowly embrace a more compassionate way of living—for our health, our planet, and all living beings.

05/04/2026

🌿 Easter Season: Planting Life, Living Resurrection

An African woman carries more than a basket
she carries life. 🌱

This Easter season, I set off with seeds on my back—
a simple act, yet deeply meaningful—
because Easter is about life rising again. ✝️

From the tuk tuk to the shamba,
this is resurrection in action—
planting life where there was lack.

Inside this basket is a gift:
seeds of food, dignity, and new beginnings.

We must revive our greens in our communities.

Through veganic humus, our soils retain water,
restore fertility, and bring life, even in dry seasons.

This is Easter in action, the land, nourishing people, and growing hope.

🌱 Easter is not just a season we celebrate—
it is a life we live.

Fill the African woman’s basket with your support. 🌱
Plant hope. Restore life.

👉 Reach us through our page, we’d love to hear from you.

20/03/2026

Eid Mubarak ✨

This holiday, I chose to spend time differently , engaging with people, learning, and exploring how vegan recipes can be adapted for a festive period like Eid.

What stood out to me is that food can still be rich, joyful, and meaningful — a true expression of compassion in the meals we prepare and share.

In the process, I was reminded of something powerful:

“Andu nĩo indo” — people are the resources.

Through conversations, shared knowledge, and community, I saw that what we already have is already valuable.

It also reflects what Paulo Freire taught — that real change begins with people, their voice, and their participation.

This Eid reminded me:

We don’t have to stop.
We build with what we have 🌱

18/03/2026

🌍 Africa is facing both floods and drought—at the same time.

This is about our food, our farmers, and our future.

According to Africanews, climate change is already disrupting rainfall and water systems across the continent.

💡 Paulo Freire reminds us: real change starts when communities understand and act.

🌱 That is why we must invest in local, just, and sustainable farming solutions rooted in our culture, integrating community-led approaches, resilient food systems, and holistic strategies to build a truly climate-resilient future.

🔗 Read more:

Extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, and floods, have increased in frequency by a factor of two or three since 1990 and are expected to intensify further.

13/03/2026

A reflection from our community work promoting vegan and plant-based diets through education, cooking, and dialogue with local communities in Kenya.

My mentor, Francis Mulwa, a respected scholar in Participatory Community Development ( Kenya), often reminds us:

"People rarely change because they are told to change. They change when they understand, participate, and see the value for themselves."

This wisdom guides our approach to plant-based diet advocacy. Instead of debating, we bring communities together to cook, share meals, and learn together using vegetables, grains, and traditional plant-based foods.

Through participation and dialogue, people begin to see the benefits for health, food security, sustainable living, and compassion for animals.

Real change often grows quietly, like planting a seed that, over time, strengthens healthier communities. 🌱

👉 Support our community plant-based education initiatives here:
https://givebutter.com/donate-to-torch-initiatives

13/03/2026

My mentor, Francis Mulwa, a respected scholar in Participatory Community Development ( Kenya), often reminds us:

"People rarely change because they are told to change. They change when they understand, participate, and see the value for themselves."

This wisdom guides our approach to plant-based diet advocacy. Instead of debating, we bring communities together to cook, share meals, and learn together using vegetables, grains, and traditional plant-based foods.

Through participation and dialogue, people begin to see the benefits for health, food security, sustainable living, and compassion for animals.

Real change often grows quietly, like planting a seed that, over time, strengthens healthier communities. 🌱

👉 Support our community plant-based education initiatives here:
https://givebutter.com/donate-to-torch-initiatives

17/02/2026

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/counties/article/2001535951/how-plant-based-foods-can-be-a-solution-to-surging-diet-related-illnesses?utm We were not aware of this article until recently and were pleasantly surprised to see how well it captured our work and the growing conversation around plant-based food choices in Kenya and across the continent. 🌱

We’re grateful for the positive coverage and the continued support toward healthier, more ethical food systems. 💚

Plant-based diets help prevent lifestyle diseases while improving weight management, digestion, and blood sugar regulation.