After severe floods devastated Kenya’s Tana Delta in 2024, CWS launched a recovery effort through the Mwanga Project, helping nearly 1,800 people rebuild their livelihoods with tools like livestock, training and agriculture support. Through that support, the Kipini Disability Fellowship emerged as a model of resilience—turning poultry and goat distributions into a sustainable, community-driven path to recovery and empowerment.
Thanks to this support, nearly 1,800 community members were selected to receive aid focused on long-term recovery—support that went far beyond short-term relief. With a focus on food security and sustainable livelihoods, the project delivered 500 modern beehives, 500 Galla goats, 4,000 improved indigenous chickens and cultivated 96 acres of sweet potatoes.
Training in agricultural best practices and value chain development further empowered local farmers to rebuild not just their farms, but their futures.
A Fellowship of Strength: The Kipini Disability Group
One group that stood out during the recovery process was the Kipini Disability Fellowship—a self-organized network of people with disabilities and caregivers in Kipini East Ward. Formed to offer mutual support and a path forward, the group was nominated for the poultry program just as the last slots were being filled.
Thirty members were selected to receive 120 improved chickens, along with hands-on training from CWS. These members—despite daily challenges—embraced the project wholeheartedly. With unwavering commitment, they tended to their chickens and began selling eggs and poultry, generating an income and increasing food security for their families.
By mid-2024, the group had already saved over KES 24,000 (approximately USD 189)—a powerful indicator of their progress.
A Bigger Dream, A Bolder Plan
During a routine CWS site visit, the group shared a collective dream: to provide each of their 200 members with a Galla goat—an animal known for its high market value, low maintenance and ability to reproduce quickly. To achieve this vision, each of the members signed a pledge: they would raise and care for the goats, and within a year, pass on two kids each to two additional members. Through this cascading model, all 200 members would eventually benefit.
On January 25, 2025, the Kipini Disability Fellowship held its first annual meeting, filled with gratitude and renewed hope. The group thanked CWS and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their unwavering support. What began as a disaster response evolved into a movement of empowerment—one that proves the power of listening, adapting and believing in people’s potential. As one member put it, “The light at the end of the tunnel is now much closer than before.”
We are thankful for our partner, the Latter-day Saints Charities for their generous funding of our Giving Machines Program. Join us in supporting these resilient individuals by giving now. Learn more about our work in Kenya here.