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Breaking the cycle of poverty

About Us

The Nasio Story

In 2000, in a small village in western Kenya, the late Irene Mudenyo found an abandoned baby in a sugarcane plantation on her farm. He had been left in a blanket and must have been there for at least three days. The baby, who was about three months old, was was severely dehydrated and under-nourished and needed urgent hospital attention. Irene’s attempts to find his parents or relatives proved futile. She felt he would be better off in a family environment and she decided to care for the baby, who she named Moses, despite being in her late 70’s.

The plight of Moses exposed the problem of poverty and consequences of the high incidence of HIV in the area of Mumias in western Kenya.

The plight of Moses exposed the problem of poverty and consequences of the high incidence of HIV in the area of Mumias in western Kenya. One of Irene’s daughters, Lorna, owned a road-side kiosk which was not being used, Irene’s daughters decided to start up a feeding programme for orphaned and vulnerable children in the area. On the first day more than 60 children turned up for the fifteen places then available, highlighting the extent of the need.

Irene’s youngest daughter Nancy, who was living in the UK visiting her mother in 2000, couldn’t help but be touched by the plight of Moses and other children like him. She decided to fundraise in the UK and set up a charity in 2001 called The Nasio Trust to give these children a chance in life.

 

irene-image

After extensive fund-raising, a new bigger Noah’s Ark centre was completed in 2005 for the care of the children, and just 4 years later St Irene’s centre in nearby Musanda where Moses had been found opened its door. The centres work with the local communities to provide education, meals, medical care and psycho-social support to children and their guardians in our care.

Two decades later The Nasio Trust, led by Irene’s youngest daughter, the CEO Nancy Mudenyo Hunt, supports over 400 children, runs two purpose-built day care centres, a medical centre and provides a range of education and development programmes. Nasio’s community-based approach is aimed at providing an holistic solution to ending the cycle of poverty by providing education, improving health, and developing commerce through sustainable income-generating projects.

Irene died in 2007 of cancer of the oesophagus, but her legacy lives on. The charity, which employs over 80 local Kenyans, has now extended its support to the communities by:

  • Providing healthcare through its purpose-built GMK Medical Centre treating well over 10,000 patients a year and providing maternity services for 500 mothers and babies a year
  • Immunising babies against malaria and other life-threatening diseases
  • Running a Peer Education programme reaching over 4,000 young people to reduce teenage pregnancies, avoidance of HIV, information on general Sexual reproductive Health and safe places to meet.
  • Programmes to keep girls in education where poverty and cultural norms in the community do not value educating a girl child.
  • An Exceptional Student Programme to identify students, especially girls, who despite their disadvantaged backgrounds achieve high academic standards and support them through secondary and university education equipping them to be future leaders in Kenya.
  • A Farming programme for over 500 subsistence farmers so that they can increase crop yields to feed their families and have surplus for sale to generate income.
  • Adult literacy and numeracy classes for women who missed out on education so that they have the skills to start their own small businesses.
  • Out of school clubs teaching young people skills in agriculture, bike repairs and tailoring.
  • Farming on our own land to provide food to the children supported by us at our ECDs and surplus to sell at market.
  • A tree nursery to provide saplings to the community to increase the number of indigenous trees.
  • Spirulina production to provide this food supplement to malnourished children, provide employment and generate income.
  • Beekeeping for providing honey for sale and to benefit the environment.
  • Fish ponds to produce Talapia fish to feed children and to sell at market.

Nancy comments: “The amazing thing is to see something so positive that started with just one child, found in a sugar cane field”

 

"I’m really grateful to the Nasio Trust programme because it is really changing lives for good. The Nasio Trust has really changed this community and really changed my life..."
Eunice (supported for 6 years – now volunteering for Nasio)

From the blog...

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The Nasio Trust has been working with rural communities in Western Kenya for over twenty-years.

For the past six years, we have supported small-scale farmers to make the best use of their small parcels of land so that they can become food secure. While our efforts and interventions have empowered farmers to increase their crop yields, pay for their children’s school fees, and meet most of their nutritional requirements, the impact of climate change is wreaking havoc on rural economies.

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Kennington and Musanda: A Unique Twinning to Build Bridges Across Continents

The Nasio Trust, in collaboration with the Kennington community, is embarking on an exciting and meaningful journey to twin two vibrant communities: Musanda in Western Kenya and Kennington in the UK.

This historic partnership will foster cultural exchange, strengthen global connections, and create invaluable learning opportunities for both communities.

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The Nasio Trust Annual Report 2023

We’re pleased to present our annual report for 2023. Find out what Nasio achieved and celebrate with us. Download your online version by clicking here now.

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