Regenerative Holistic Resource Center is a non-profit social service and community based organization, working with communities, schools, and orphanages; vulnerable and marginalized children to restore hope; bringing back the natural capital by involving every individual and introducing regenerative sustainable way of life.
Regenerative Holistic Resource Center strives to work collaboratively with communities to restore functional landscapes and build sustainable regenerative food systems that mimic natural patterns. With a mission to promote and implement a healthy future for our planet by ensuring natural and man-made elements cooperate effectively.
Regenerative Holistic Resource Center is working with organizations and people to provide leadership and guidance in order to help restructure and rebuild communities through regenerative agriculture and sustainable planning. Together we work on a plan to create a regenerative, vibrant local economy and provide community outreach.
Regenerative lifestyles appeal to people who seek to offer something positive to the world, especially creative people who value quality over quantity, and those who are ready to make a change in their lives now, in order to protect themselves and their loved ones in the future. We are focused in changing the future of our children and our children’s children.
IMPACT
Regenerative Holistic Resource center is transforming communities in need, into places of hope and opportunity. Since 2015 we’ve impacted thousands of lives through community projects, schools and orphanages by breaking cycles of poverty, allowing healthier, more sustainable communities to emerge.
Regenerative Holistic Resource Center works under three programs operating in Kenya address the diversified needs of each community a big picture non-profit, with boots on the ground able to provide the infrastructure, resources, and knowledge needed to develop education initiatives, stronger infrastructures for community health, diversified economies, and a healthier environment. We’ve impacted thousands of people, and with your support, we can continue to do more.
BACKGROUND
Since we started our first project in Rusinga Island in 2015, we realized addressing a single problem wouldn’t allow us to have the greatest impact, therefore Regenerative Holistic Resource Center is a big picture non-profit with boots on the ground. "Thinking Big Acting Small"
Inspired to help, we are determined to transform communities suffering from inhumane poverty into places of opportunity and hope. The Regenerative Holistic Resource Center Model for community development was born out of seeing the need to fix the interconnected problems the community is facing at the time; bringing together communities through schools, building community gardens and shifting minds of fishermen to farming.
We rely on the consultation of locals and directly involving of experts in the region to develop solutions based programs to address each developmental problem. Thus, our model was born, addressing the multifaceted needs to create a strong foundation for a thriving society through Education, Healthcare, Conservation, and Economic Development.
What began as a grassroots effort quickly transitioned into a higher impact, more sustainable phase, inspiring us to expand.
Using Permaculture principles to address sustainable impacts to communities; we provide the infrastructure, resources, and knowledge needed to develop education initiatives, stronger infrastructures for community health, diversified economies, and a healthier environment. We have grown from Rusinga island to the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi- Eastlands, Kilifi and Mombasa in 2017.
MODEL
We assessed the needs of each village in cooperation with the local community grassroot projects and local government to have the greatest long-term impact. Having recognized that women and children suffer inexplicably from poverty, particular emphasis on working with women, youths and children to create permanent social change presently and in future. Women, children and youths are at the heart of our community-based efforts.
We empower villagers and orphanages to be an integral part of running and participating in each program we establish. We aim to create a foundation for healthy, sustainable, stable, and self-sufficient communities.
For Example ;
Rusinga island, Kenya -Lake Victoria, once, a pristine resource for food and water, had been polluted with raw sewage and toxic chemicals, turning their sole economic driver and source for food and clean water into a cesspool. The seasonal fishing industry is suffering, leaving eight out of ten people unemployed. We saw hungry children forage for food, desperate women and girls pr******te themselves in exchange for fish to feed their families and palm trees and foliage stripped bare to be used as a fuel source for cooking.
ROOTED INPARTNERSHIP
Our model is rooted in partnership; we provide the infrastructure, resources, and experts needed for particular village to develop healthcare, education, conservation, and income-generating businesses. These program areas support families through their entire lifecycle. Villagers are an integral part of our model; their participation and employment in our programs have a direct impact on the revitalization of their communities.
PROJECTS
Regenerative Holistic Resource Center is currently operating three community development sites, in Kenya. We choose our project locations based on community needs, ability to work with the local communities, population size, accessibility, and income-generating potential, through crafts, community gardens, volun-tourism and eco-tourism. We’ve found our model has the greatest impact in communities.
URBAN FARMING PROJECTS/SCHOOL PROJECTS
We PARTNER with other formal and informal learning institutions, self help organizations/community projects and other organizations namely;
Mkulima Sasa Organic Urban Farming
Working in Nairobi with at Nairobi River primary school,in Buru Buru,St Johns primary school in kaloleni and project Elimu in Kibera to promote the Idea of school gardens and promote regenerative culture in schools.
Mwengenye lifestyle CBO
(based in Njiru) involved in Urban Farming Initiatives in Nairobi. Teaching and equiping reformed youths in the the slums.
Nyabera Permaculture Initiatives
Currently working in Uyoma, Rarieda,in Siaya county to promote Healthier regenerative Ecosystems, Farming Agro forestry and tree planting..we partner in exchange of seeds,Ideas,opportunities,and Information…
ORPHANAGE
We Founded Blessings Homes (under little hands in permaculture) to rescue abandond or orphaned abused, neglected, HIV infected & affected children in the slums. We support these childrens in terms of education, counselling, psychological support, medical intervetion, food, shelter and clothing. The institution currently Housing Vulnerable children aged between a day old and 15 yrs old in Nairobi, we house over 40 children among them 15 infants.
Partner orphanage
Likoni Aids Orphanege (Mombasa)
We partnered with Likoni Aids orphanage in Mombasa in areas of promoting Permaculture and Fund raising to support the home.
https://likoniaidsorphanage.org/
ECO TOURS
We organize and tour guide Eco tourists to Permaculture sites around East Africa,We have gone around several sites with our Eco-Enthusiasts namely and not limited to OTEPIC in Kitale,Laikipia Permaculture Centre(LPC),Badilisha in Rusinga,Kisumu City Permaculture Academy,Rusinga Organic Farming (RIOFA), Lang'ata permafarm, Nairobi river school environmental club, Likoni Aids orphanage Environmental club, Malindi Keresha children support center. Among other Private farms for Farm Exchange and hand’s on Learning from Each Other.
Educational Outings
We partner with local farms schools and orphanages to engage students in experiential learning about nature and green spaces. We are grateful to Permaclub, and Growing Smart for welcoming us into their beautiful spaces.
ADULT EDUCATION AND LIBRARY
Adult education is just as valuable to us as childhood education. Creating a prosperous community relies on the abilities of all peoples to live up to their potential.
We offer classes and curriculum for adults covering a wide range of topics, including basic health care, sexual education, HIV prevention, reproductive health, family planning, conservation through agricultural training, and income-generating programs. To foster on-going education, we are building library in every school, community and orphanages for the community to have access to reading materials for all ages.
CONSERVATION - INCOME GENERATION.
Our community gardens are a central place to grow diversified and nutritious crops to aid in feeding the village and the orphanages. We teach innovative agricultural techniques through organic bio-intensive gardening based in permaculture principle. This method yields the most crops from a minimal area of land.
The garden is the meeting place for our agricultural training program, where we teach people how to create and maintain their sustainable gardens.
Vegetable and Fruit Grown in and around our gardens; Red Beets, Kale, Chinese Cabbage, Pineapples, Bananas, Guava, Tomatoes, Passion Fruit, Orange Trees, Lemon Trees, Avocado Trees, and Strawberries
CLEAN WATER SYSTEMS
Insufficient access to clean water contributes to desperate conditions in all villages. Without access to fresh water, communities must use polluted surface water from nearby streams, which are prone to waterborne diseases such as cholera, hepatitis, typhoid, and diarrhea. Regenerative Holistic Resource Center helps communities build and maintain sanitary water systems through the help of sponsors. installation of rain water collection points in schools to community projects and providing water filters.
We rely on the communities to make significant contributions to materials, labor, operation, and maintenance of new water systems.
REFORESTATION-BRIQUETTE’S AND TREE PLANTING
Deforestation and lack of environmental sustainability contribute to a poor agricultural environment, that contributes to soil erosion and a build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which results in lowered rainfall.
Nearly 100% of the populations we serve are dependent on firewood for fuel to cook and warm their homes. We've committed to replanting trees to reforest the region and, reverse the effects of deforestation and climate change. To date, we've planted over one million trees. We introduced earth-friendly briquettes as an alternative fuel source. These sustainable briquettes are created from recycled trash and are easy to make.
JOB CREATION OPPORTUNITY
As we establish programs to address the healthcare, education, and conservation needs of each village. We employ community members to staff these programs in full and part-time roles. We’ve seen positive shifts in the communities we support when villagers are empowered to become educators, health care clinicians, farmers, and business owners. Employment provides a stable income for villagers to support their families. The financial security from these jobs allows people to care for their families, livestock, and the tools needed to start their own business and projects.
FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION
1.Kitchen gardens
A kitchen garden is where herbs and vegetables are grown around the house for household use. Since early times a small plot near to the house has been used for growing a variety of vegetables according to the season. Local varieties such as radish, broad leaf mustard, chilli, beans, pumpkins..
Sack gardening
Sack Gardens are vertical farms using tall sacks filled with soil from which plants grow. They are drought friendly as water is used very efficiently. Kitchen gardens are small plots used to grow food around the home for household use. Both are a way for villagers to grow vegetables and fruits for their families.
Community Gardens
Building out a common use space in the midst of the busy, day to day concrete jungle, provides not only a teaching opportunity for us, but also is a safe space for children and parents to come and bond while digging in the soil. Community gardens are a perfect for creating a sense of community.
Our solution is to teach villagers about sack and kitchen gardens, and provide seedlings so the villagers can grow food on small pieces of land. They can grow spinach, kale, and tomatoes in the sack gardens. We also provide agricultural education teaching a system of crop rotation that provides vegetables year-round.
CONSULTING
As a team we offer professional permaculture consultancy services which include design, implementation and maintenance. We work across the landscape on both urban and rural sites; community projects and commercial properties and our expertise lies in everything from the soil upwards. Although we promote an integrated approach to design we also specialise in agroforestry and animal systems, foodscaping, vermiculture, beekeeping, edu-tourism, water harvesting, aquaculture, integrated pest management (IPM) and value chain development amongst many others.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Regenerative Holistic Resource Center is interested in working with organizations and people to provide leadership and guidance in order to help restructure and rebuild communities through regenerative agriculture and sustainable planning. Together we work on a plan to create a regenerative, vibrant local economy and provide community outreach.
YOUTH
We ourselves are a young team and as long term impact is our goal; it is the young generations of people we like to involve from the very beginning.
Permaculture philosophy and the practical art of designing ones land, home and future require boundless energy and imagination so who better to use than the younger generations who are always on the look-out for some solid footsteps to follow?
Some of our urban projects, located deep in the slums of Kangemi, Kayole and Njiru in Nairobi. We put in a small food forest and raised beds successfully tapped into the excitement created by the ever-greening environment in the middle of a complete natural capital full of waste, open sewers highly populated area.
WORKSHOP
STABILITY THROUGH INNOVATION
Craft production is an essential aspect of methodology. These enterprises provide a stable path for communities to raise their living standards on a continuous basis. Our craft program is very popular and provides a steady income for villagers to support their families. Women and men create baskets, placemats, soaps, candles, and bracelets that are sold internationally and locally at the markets.
Craft work has had an environmental impact as well, as the thousands of baskets, mats, and rugs woven are all made from water hyacinth, which is a destructive w**d that commonly grows in African waters.
INSPIRATION
Permaculture
We are inspired by the principles and ethics of permaculture, we focus on resilient designs and regenerative technology that are ecologically sound and finacially viable.
PERMACULTURE IS A SYSTEM OF AGRO-ECOLOGY AND SOCIAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES THAT SIMULATES OR DIRECTLY UTILIZES THE PATTERNS AND FEATURES OBSERVED IN NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS.
The term “permaculture” was originally coined to refer to the idea of a truly sustainable agriculture, but has expanded to embrace the idea of “permanent culture” in recognition that the social dimension is integral to truly sustainable living systems. It has been described as “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labour; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area or anything in isolation.
Permaculture draws from several disciplines including regenerative farming, agro-forestry, sustainable development, and applied ecology. The design principles which are the conceptual foundation of permaculture are derived from the science of systems ecology and study of pre-industrial examples of sustainable land use.
The primary agenda of the movement has been to assist people to become more self reliant through the design and development of productive and sustainable gardens and farms. It applies equally well to both rural and urban areas. Permaculture can also be called simply, “a revolution disguised as gardening.” New way of life
Back in the 70’s, two Australians, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren started a journey that we are still on today. They re-organized ancient knowledge and skills, traditional wisdom about plants, animals, and social systems, and added some new ideas. They effectively created a system of design for how to build a stable and resilient culture, and called it “permaculture.
We follow the three core tenets of permaculture:
1’Care for the earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply. This is the first principle, because without a healthy earth, humans cannot flourish.
Care for the people: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
Fair Share: Reinvesting surpluses back into the system to provide for the first two ethics. This includes returning waste back into the system to recycle into usefulness and that each of us should take no more than what we need before we reinvest the surplus.
