GROOTS Kenya

12/08/2026

𝗖𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝘃𝗮𝘆𝗼: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆

This we celebrate Cecilia Ivayo.

Before joining the Jasiri Program,Cecilia ran her green grocery business on a small scale. One of the challenges she faced was managing her personal finances alongside her business income, making it difficult to reinvest and grow.

Through financial literacy training under the Jasiri Program, Cecilia gained practical skills to separate her personal and business finances and make better decisions about her earnings.

Today, she stocks 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 as she did before and is better able to meet her personal needs from her business income.

🎥 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 here : https://youtu.be/7CtXAXEJjRs

CREAW Kenya Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development CDTD ADSOCK- Advocates for Social Change Kenya Mastercard Foundation

12/08/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗯 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀

For over five years, Julia farmed herbs under contract in Laikipia County. But when prices kept shifting and the company she supplied eventually stopped operating, she was left, like many contract farmers, with produce and no reliable buyer.

Instead of waiting for another market to come along, Julia decided to build her own.

In November 2025, she founded 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗯 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝘁𝗱, diversifying into wellness herbs and beef tallow — a by-product many livestock farmers discard, but one that can become a valuable product when properly processed.

Julia’s story speaks to what we are celebrating this International Youth Day: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Across the movement, we see women and young leaders turning challenges into businesses, creating value from what others overlook, and building solutions within their communities.

Julia is one of them.

Read her full story below. https://grootskenya.org/blog/from-market-frustration-to-value-creation-julia-wachiras-journey-with-afriherb-natures/

County Government of LaikipiaSeedChange / Sème l’avenir Seed Savers Network, Kenya Hivos East Africa PELUM Kenya Association
Agroecology Fund -Sectoral Forum on Agroecology and Agrobiodiversity-ISFAA Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada United Nations

Every 12 August, the world marks International Youth Day. This year's theme, "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations," speaks to something young people across Kenya and the wider region already know: that circumstances differ from one county, one household, one value chain to the next, but the under...

12/08/2026

𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀. 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.

Across movement, young people are organising, leading and creating change in ways that reflect the realities of their communities.

They are bringing new ideas to the table, building livelihoods, strengthening communities, taking climate action and creating space for others to lead.

Their realities may be different. Their dreams may take different forms. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

This International , we celebrate young people not simply for the future they represent, but for the 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

11/08/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 🌍

Meet 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽, a youth-led initiative in Kipevu Ward, Mombasa County.

Through mentorship, leadership and community action, they are supporting other youth groups and leading clean-up efforts in their community.

As we build up to #𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗗𝗮𝘆, we’re spotlighting young people who are not waiting for change t𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁.

Read their story.

Grassroots Business Fund
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry - KNCCI
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)
Powered by People: Maker Community
Mastercard Foundation

07/08/2026

𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

In this trailer, Irene shares how learning a new skill gave her the confidence to earn an income, grow a business and create new possibilities for herself.

There's so much more to her journey.

🎥 Watch Irene's full story on our YouTube channel: [https://youtu.be/fTTOtY2DRmQ]

Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) Ccgd The Centre Centre for Domestic Training and Development Advocates for Social Change Kenya- Adsock

05/08/2026

There was a time when Irene didn't know what tomorrow would look like.

Today, she runs her own salon, earns an income through crochet, and is helping other women rebuild their lives through the very skills that helped transform hers.

Her journey reminds us that when women have access to safety, practical skills, and the right support, new beginnings become possible.

🎥 Watch Irene share, in her own words, how resilience, entrepreneurship, and community support helped her create a brighter future for herself and her child. https://youtu.be/fTTOtY2DRmQ

Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW)
Ccgd The Centre
Centre for Domestic Training and Development
Advocates for Social Change Kenya- Adsock
Mastercard Foundation

04/08/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲, 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 🌾

Today, she prepares her own bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides using locally available materials, practices minimum tillage and mulching to protect her soil, grows herbs for natural pest control and integrates poultry, goats, cattle, and fruit trees into a farm where nothing goes to waste.

She is also preserving more than 30 varieties of indigenous cereal seeds, protecting biodiversity and ensuring future generations can continue farming with crops adapted to their local climate.

Swipe through to discover how Rose is turning knowledge into healthier harvests and building a legacy that extends far beyond her farm.

SeedChange / Sème l’avenir
Hivos East Africa
Seed Savers Network, Kenya
PELUM Kenya Association
Agroecology Fund
Biovision Africa Trust
Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada

04/08/2026

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮

What does it look like when a young woman chooses to stand up for her community?

In Bangale, Tana River County, Halima Saadia is turning courage into action, mobilizing communities, speaking out against FGM, child marriage and gender-based violence and inspiring change from the grassroots.

Swipe through to read her story of leadership, resilience, and impact.

Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW)
Centre for Domestic Training and Development
Ccgd The Centre
Advocates for Social Change Kenya- Adsock
Mastercard Foundation

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03/08/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 20 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 ?

In 2021, 15 young women and 5 young men in Kamanyi, Kitui County, came together to form Sinuka Youth Group. What started with monthly savings of just KES 200 has grown into a journey of resilience, entrepreneurship, and collective growth.

Swipe through to see how training, shared purpose, and community support have transformed their journey. ➡️

Grassroots Business Fund
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry - KNCCI
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)
Powered by People: Maker Community

31/07/2026

Every year, Kenya loses an estimated KSh 41 billion to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide. But beyond the statistics are women whose lives, businesses, and dreams are put on hold because of violence.

Elizabeth Wanjiku knows this reality firsthand.

Her story is one of courage, healing and rebuilding. It shows what can happen when survivors are given the opportunity to regain their confidence, strengthen their livelihoods, and take charge of their future.

Take a few minutes to read Elizabeth's story and see why investing in survivors is an investment in stronger families and communities.

🔗 Read the full story: https://grootskenya.org/success-story/elizabeths-crown-of-courage/

Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW)
Advocates for Social Change Kenya- Adsock
Ccgd The Centre
Centre for Domestic Training and Development
Mastercard Foundation

Read how GBV survivor Elizabeth Wanjiku rebuilt her life through skills training and economic empowerment with GROOTS Kenya.