Grace Development Foundation
This Kenyan NGO started with 5000+ has created an amazing 255,000 small businesses and 2,600 savings and loans groups with 3,500 volunteers
GDF has created 255,000 small businesses among some of the poorest people in Kenya and 2,600 savings and loans groups, with 3,500 volunteers. All this has been done without any of the businesses receiving external financial support.
Grace Development Foundation (GDF) is a NGO based in Rongo, Kenya and is led by Kennedy Ojunju, supported by his wife Hellen and by Rob and Jane Garratt from 5000+.
Jerry visited in May 2023 to see the individual impact on households and villages. This has been extraordinary, see some of the stories below of changed communities, inspiring individuals and many widows able to look after and pay school fees for orphaned grandchildren.
Growth has come from using the 5000+ training. This facilitates a change of mindset take from the feeding of the 5000: start with the little you have.
There is scope for GDF to grow significantly while maintaining the no financial support / volunteer basis. TEN is helping GDF plan and develop and also providing next stage training for businesses with greater potential.
We have also helped by raising £2,000 to buy 'corporate' polo shirts for GDF Regional Co-ordinators and Area Supervisors. Our hope is to extend this to all 3,500 volunteers to encourage and affirm them as they donate their time and mostly pay their own expenses as they deliver business start-up seminars.
There is an video interview with Kennedy on our news page here.
Stories of Transformation
Quinta (left) is a widow who attended the GDF training and as a result started a shop. Now she can afford to feed and pay the school fees for her children. She is a volunteer Area Supervisor for GDF.
Rafael set up a model farm, demonstrating how to store and make better use of water. "God gives us enough rain," he said, "but he doesn't spread it out very well". He has a 20m square demonstration plot that shows how a small area can feed a family and is mentoring 200 households and hosts class visits from three local schools.
John lives in Alessi village on the border with Tanzania. The village took GDF training to heart and John's fish ponds (top) are some of over 100 created in Alessi; they were so successful that a refrigerated lorry makes regular trip to collect the fish. John also started an agricultural co-operative which buys labour saving machinery that is lent to each of the seven groups of 20 farmers.