Impact

Sustainable International Development

The WE Villages five-pillar development model is an effective, sustainable and cost-effective approach that works to break the cycle of poverty in rural, marginalized communities worldwide. Research has proven that our programs have a lasting impact on the communities in which we work. Below are some highlights of our successes.

EDUCATION

Since the creation of our education pillar, schools and schoolrooms have been built in WE Charity partner communities, giving over 200,000 children the opportunity to get an education and transform not only their lives but also those of their communities.

WATER

Thanks to our water pillar, one million people now have improved access to clean water, health care and sanitation. This has empowered them to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and build healthier, more productive communities.

HEALTH

In Kenya, over 130,000 patients have been served at Baraka Hospital and Kishon Health Centre since they opened in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

OPPORTUNITY

More than 30,000 women have been provided with tools to gain economic self-sufficiency, allowing them to provide for their families and directly addressing the root cause of child labor.

FOOD

Under the food pillar, WE Villages has enabled farmers and families in our partnering communities to produce more than 15 million meals to fuel their communities

Highlights and successes

During the 2022-2023 fiscal year our international work in Ecuador and Kenya resulted in:

Ecuador

5000

women engaged with our women’s empowerment program with 92% practicing what they learned

A doctor looks into the ear of a young female patient

10K

patients treated by Mobile Health Clinics across 70 communities annually

12,000+kg

of produce harvested through the Agricultural Learning Center & Food Programming

Kenya

163

Students enrolled at WE College with a total of 65 students successfully graduated

800

people trained on modern agricultural techniques that improve crop and farming practices at Oleleshwa Farm annually

226

Students enrolled at Kisaruni and on scholarships; 100% of 2023 graduates qualified for college or university

7200+

healthy babies delivered at Baraka Hospital by the end of 2023

Inspiring Stories of Sustained Impact

Kisaruni Group of Schools, Milimani Campus, Kenya

Investing in education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty: but so many students don’t have the chance to study beyond primary school. That’s why WE Charity opened the Kisaruni Group of Schools, which now has two main secondary school campuses: Milimani and Ngulot. Through donor-funded scholarships and the Kisaruni Long-Term Sustainability Fund, students like Salome Maroko and Marcella Sang are leading the way as trailblazers in their communities. Hundreds of boys and girls have graduated from the Kisaruni Group of Schools, many the first in their family to graduate secondary school, and are now pursuing a university education and their dreams.

Salome, a Kisaruni graduate, grew up in the rural community of Oloosiyoi with her parents and four siblings. Her parents are subsistence farmers, but when droughts hit and their crops failed, they struggled to provide for their family’s basic needs. On school holidays, Salome and her sister had to work at neighboring farms to earn extra money for uniforms, books and school supplies. It wasn’t easy, but Salome graduated from primary school and earned a place at Kisaruni, which gave her a chance at a secondary school education she may not have otherwise been able to access.

“Everyone in my community was so happy when they found out about my results!” says Salome, who hopes to someday become a doctor. “I went to visit my primary school and the children ran toward me when they saw me coming.”

Marcella Sang, who grew up in the community of Pimbiniet as one of 11 children, was one of just 36 students across all of Kenya to score an A or A- in English in her year. She was also the first student in Narok County to earn an A in English: and the first in her family to graduate from high school. Like her classmate Salome, Marcella also had to overcome obstacles to finish primary school. Her parents struggled to provide her with the supplies she needed for school. But Marcella worked hard and received top marks in her primary school exams before being accepted at Kisaruni. She hopes to become a journalist.

“This school has changed my life completely,” says Marcella. “I have gained leadership skills and I have excelled in academics. When I started at Kisaruni, I was shy and not able to address people in public. That’s changed—I have a voice now.”

Learn more about the Kisaruni Group of Schools and how investing in the future students of Kisaruni will unlock the potential of young women and men for generations to come.

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Kenya

Maternal and child mortality devastates households and communities as a whole, negatively affecting economic growth, livelihood productivity, health outcomes and opportunities for education. The services provided by Baraka Hospital’s maternity wing directly impact the rate of maternal and child mortality by providing preventative care, and equipping mothers with both the necessary health services and the knowledge to raise healthy children. Baraka Maternity Wing is one of the best maternity wings offering comprehensive, quality professional services to mothers in Narok County, by the Narok County District Quality Assurance Team. The impact this wing has had on the lives of community members has been extraordinary.

Joy radiates from the young mother as she carefully cradles her newborn for the first time. Sunshine floods in through the window in her room in the Baraka maternity wing, creating an inviting place for her to recover, while the nurses and doctors check in on her regularly.

Baraka Hospital helps deliver healthy babies in the maternity wing, giving mothers exceptional care during labor, and providing support for nutrition, hygiene and immunizations after the baby is born.

Providing a place for a safe delivery is just one step to ensuring a new baby gets the best start in life. At Baraka, care starts early in the pregnancy and continues long after the baby is born. The clinic gives soon-to-be-mothers education about pregnancy and potential complications, tetanus vaccinations and iron supplements, and ultrasounds and physicals to monitor mother’s and baby’s health.

After the baby is born, staff closely monitor the health of both baby and mother, with a check-up at two and six weeks. In addition to the check-up, health care staff talk about the importance of hygiene, nutrition and breastfeeding for the baby.

But health care services don’t stop there. As the baby grows older, Baraka provides a Child Welfare Clinic program to provide immunizations, assess developmental milestones and monitor nutrition and growth. Thousands of children under the age of five have been immunized, preventing communicable diseases and ensuring proper growth.

Transforming the Future through Opportunity, Ecuador

Workshops are held with girls’ groups across seven partner communities in Ecuador, covering over 30 financial literacy and entrepreneurship topics. Loans are pooled and withdrawn by the girls as springboards for their own entrepreneurial endeavors. The first rounds of loans were paid back with interest and on schedule!

The increase in income means greater opportunities for education, better access to nutritious foods and more involvement in decision-making at the household level. The leadership programming and the increase in income also empowers the young women, giving them confidence in their own voice and in making decisions about their future. This programming also addresses gender equality, leading to healthier and more educated households, greater economic opportunities, and an improved outlook for future generations.

A few times a week, members of the girls club in Totoras wake up early and walk through the morning mist to school. Normally, they would practice their weaving skills, turning red, yellow, blue and pink yarn into cintas (hair ribbons) or fajas (belts).

But today is different. Even though they’re now expert weavers, they leave their looms at the side of the room. Today they’re starting a completely new set of lessons on animal husbandry. They’ve crowded together, talking excitedly amongst themselves about what they might learn. Then the instructor, a neighbor from the nearby community of San Miguel, starts to speak, and the girls quiet down. Their first lesson is about how to care for livestock, and includes tips on things like vaccinations and proper feeding. Over the coming weeks, they’ll learn how to look after their flocks, how to raise lambs and some savvy business skills.

By learning how to look after a flock of sheep, members of the girls’ club take their future into their own hands. They can raise the animals themselves and sell lambs to others looking to start their own flock. Or they can sell wool at the market. Or they can keep the wool for their weaving, which helps keep costs down and lets them make a bigger profit from the sale of their crafts. It’s their choice.

These lessons are empowering the young people of Totoras. By learning how to lead healthier lives, they’re removing barriers to their education and helping their community thrive. By learning how to raise a herd of sheep, they’re opening up new opportunities for themselves and their families.

Eventually the first class on animal care comes to a close, and there’s a quick conversation about when they’re meeting next. When that’s done, the girls have a few minutes before school starts, so they step outside to get some fresh air. The mist has vanished and the sun is shining.

Food: Growing Strong in Narok County, Kenya

In an area with changing weather patterns and increased vulnerability to shifting global food prices, community members’ ability to adapt is critical for food security. With greater agricultural training and access to food produced at Oleleshwa Farms, the community has a consistent source for healthy and diversified foods. Support for our lunch program also means better nutrition for students, which translates to improved attendance rates and better concentration and productivity in class.

Viola Kirui stands in the Oleleshwa garden, leaning over a bush with a pair of pruning shears. This spring, the vibrant greenery has reached the height of her knees, brushing the yellow hem of her uniform skirt. “We have been taught to live as a community,” says Viola, smiling. The highlight of her time at Oleleshwa has been making friends and becoming part of a community that makes decisions together. She already feels like a different person from the timid young woman who first transferred here.

“Being in Oleleshwa has made me stronger, bolder, courageous and outspoken. We are the seniors. Therefore we are expected to be the role models to the others,” says Viola, stopping to inspect a yellow-and-green leaf.

For students, Oleleshwa Secondary School isn’t just a place of learning. It’s the home where they live, socialize, play and grow as leaders and friends. For Viola, gardening is a way to give back to Oleleshwa and beautify her new home. But her love of nature runs even deeper than that. You see, Viola’s personal heroine is Wangari Muta Mathaai, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning environmentalist from Kenya.

“She dedicated all her life to conserving the environment,” says Viola, surveying the flourishing garden with pride. “At some point she stood out bold to face the government when they wanted to clear a forest for the sake of erecting some skyscrapers. Though she was hurt a lot physically, mentally and emotionally, she eventually won.”

You can see the same tenacity in Viola, and in all the Oleleshwa learners, as they greet each new day with enthusiasm, curiosity and determination to plot their futures and succeed on their own terms.

WE Villages Impact