Those who have been following our news over the past few months will be aware that Vision Africa is looking for long-term solutions to minimise the impact of the current global economic crisis while giving our projects a helping hand towards a more self-sufficient future. Having lost 35 sponsors in recent months, it is clear that we need to look for alternative ways of raising income to support our work. To that end, we have been introducing income generating activities (IGAs) at as many of our projects as possible.
Each of our 4 Seed of Hope centres were asked to put together a plan of action showing which IGAs they felt would be successful in their area. In the rural centres in Kitui, Kisii and Muranga, the most obvious choice has been farming – breeding chickens, growing vegetables, rearing cows etc. There have also been suggestions of bee-keeping, bakeries and a cyber cafe being set up in the future.
For our centre in Nairobi there is no land to be cultivated and the market is full of suppliers of chickens and milk. So we had to think in a very different direction and came up with re:future.
What is re:future?
re:future is a new brand that represents care for the environment, and a transformed future. There is increasing awareness of global efforts to save our planet by caring for the environment. In Kenya, we know too well the negative impacts of neglecting our environment and our planet. It’s time to take some positive action to transform the future.
re:future will collect recyclable materials (initially glass, plastics and various papers) to be recycled or re-used rather than wasted or simply disposed of.
re:future will train and set an example for young people on the importance of caring for the environment and how they can transform the future, creating a brighter, cleaner environment.
re:future will raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage people to act to counter climate change and global warming.
re:future will provide a means of income for Seed of Hope Centre. All materials collected will be sold to organisations which will re-use or recycle them. In turn, 100% profit will be donated towards the running of Seed of Hope centres. This means that re:future will not only Transform the future of the planet but will also Transform the future of girls who are part of the Seed of Hope program.
In order to make re:future a successful enterprise and maximise the potential it has to help our environment and Seed of Hope students, we are looking for partners to assist us.
Opportunities
• Partners – for those who would like to make a difference to the local environment this is your opportunity. Everyone throws away bottles, paper, glass…all we’re asking is that you collect them separately from your general waste and allow us to arrange for them to be recycled. This is a great opportunity for schools, businesses, individuals and even embassies and government offices to make a simple change which will have a great impact.
• Suppliers – in order to launch the re:future brand we require recycling bins, posters, branded t-shirts/caps and a vehicle for transporting recyclable products. We are looking for partners who can provide these items in exchange for advertising and an association with an environmental project which will make a difference.
• Promotion – if no-one knows about re:future we won’t be able to make a difference to the environment or the lives of our Seed of Hope students. We would like the support of media houses, businesses and individuals to promote the work of re:future in order to allow it to fulfil its goals.
If you would like to learn more about this enterprise, are interested in partnering with us in one of the ways listed above, or would like to make a contribution towards the start up costs, please select the Kenya Team option on our contact form.
re:future – transforming the future of girls as we transform the future of the planet