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Kenya
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Ethical Business Services
Kenya
Finance and Equipment for Fishing Communities
Approximately 30% of Kenya's total fishing revenue of Ksh 2.2 billion (£16.5m) comes from Suba District, Lake Victoria. However, profits do not benefit local communities. Africa Now set up banking services in partnership with financial institutions to enable and encourage savings amongst the fisherfolk. Africa Now has also developed a hire-purchase scheme to supply fairly priced fishing equipment. Read More >
Greening Rusinga
With support from the UNDP, Africa Now is coordinating seven projects designed to reforest the island through planting 1.5 million seedlings to increase tree cover from 5% to 45%. The project involves promoting income generating opportunities, supporting small businesses managing tree nurseries and setting up horticulture schemes to reduce dependency on the Lake. Read More >
Community Water and Sanitation
Africa Now builds the capacity of village artisans with construction skills in spring protection and sanitation to make a living by providing these services to the community. In schools, we construct rainwater catchment tanks and latrines and our Child-to-Child health education clubs have enabled over 21,600 young people to talk to their parents and village leaders about the importance of better hygiene and cleaner water. Read More >
Commercial Beekeeping
Beekeeping is a viable enterprise for disadvantaged smallholder farmers who have little land and suffer declining yields due to poor soil fertility and erosion. New beekeepers receive training, and access to equipment through a leasing scheme. Africa Now has assured farmers a fair price and sustainable market for all their honey by linking them up with a private sector company, Honey Care, who process and sell the honey in Kenyan supermarkets. Read More >
Natural Resource Management
Over 80% of the poorest households in Western Kenya are dependent on subsistence agriculture. The majority of farmers rely on small plots of land, but poor farming techniques and intensive cultivation has decreased productivity. Africa Now promotes rural technologies that increase incomes through crop diversification, improved soil fertility, small scale enterprise development and better access to markets. Read More >
Women's Village Banks
Commercial banks do not provide the services that rural Kenyan women need. Africa Now has established Village Banks that are owned and managed by their members. The banks were originally women-only, but men have now been permitted to join to further encourage sustainability. Members buy shares at Ksh 300 (£2) to open a savings account, and access credit for family emergencies or for developing small businesses. Africa Now provides training, including basic banking and accounting techniques, outreach and on-going support to the banks until they become financially sustainable. Read More >
Zimbabwe
Increasing Incomes from Dairy Farming
When farms produce milk they can ensure regular year-round income not found with arable crops. This security is of particular value to farm households headed by women. Africa Now works with 28 Dairy Associations nationwide representing 4,000 association members to improve food security of farming families and enable the individual associations to develop far greater independent business capacity. Read More >
Devil's Claw
Africa Now has been working with rural communities in Western Zimbabwe to harvest and market the tubers of Devil's Claw. Devil's Claw is a medicinal plant traded internationally as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It grows in the Kalahari sands and is typically harvested by extremely remote communities who have very few cash earning opportunities. Read More >
Zambia
Elephants and Chillies
The project aims to increase chilli farmers' income, while at the same time reducing conflict with elephants that destroy agricultural crops (because elephants don't like chillies!). Africa Now and its partners work with farmers to develop their ability to market chillies, and build the capacity of farmer organisations to negotiate and secure trade with regional and international buyers. Read More >
High Value and Organic Vegetables
Farmers in Southern Zambia grow the same seasonal crops, driving down prices and reducing income. Africa Now is working with farmers to diversify their crops and grow organic vegetables, enabling them to access a growing demand from the tourist industry and increase their earnings. Africa Now is establishing a farmers' market to give farmers an outlet from which they can sell and links them to a local Village Bank, set up as part of Africa Now's Elephants and Chillies project, to access affordable credit and savings. Read More >
Rwanda
Increasing Incomes for Smallholder Coffee Farmers
Africa Now has launched an exciting new venture in Rwanda with the ethical coffee company, Union Hand-Roasted. The aim of this project is to improve the lives of smallholder coffee producers and the wider community. Farmers will be assisted to enhance the quality of their crop, enabling them to command a better price, whilst developing their knowledge of market demands. Read More >
Ethical Business Services
Ethical Audits
Large companies doing business with and in Africa can implement their core business practices in ways that contribute positively to reducing poverty. Africa Now engages with the private sector to encourage ethical trading practices which benefit small scale producers. As part of this, we undertake ethical audits and producer training programmes. Read More >