The Waitrose Foundation Kenya

Waitrose Foundation Kenya

The Waitrose Foundation Kenya was launched in 2009, to cover the supply of vegetables and flowers. The supply base in Kenya not only consists of large farms but also includes many smallholders growing green beans on plots as small as one acre. Working with the local communities, seven projects have now been identified and approved, with work to start shortly.

The workers’ committees have chosen a diverse group of projects ranging from the purchase of an industrial washer/dryer to meet the daily needs of washing nappies at a crèche for 120 babies, to the equipping of a training centre with computers and books, through to provision of vocational training for a group of farm workers around Naivasha.

One of the most exciting projects involves the provision of solar lighting to a village community where there is no power and the only lighting available is by kerosene lanterns. Although solar lighting is widely used in the UK despite our lack of sunshine, it is largely unavailable in African due to its high cost. The equipment being sourced is both affordable and robust and could prove to be a huge opportunity for farming communities and villages throughout Africa. We wish Tambuzi, who will be running this project, every success in its implementation.

Waitrose Foundation Annual Report 2011