Maragoli Community Development Foundation

“Expenses entrepreneurship/sustain 1,133 education 4,387 other 2,500 total 8,020”

“Disbursement of assets -150”

“The primary mission of the maragoli community development foundation is to assist the maragoli people of western kenya in improving their quality of life through the funding of sustainable development projects that they themselves conceive and implement. Funded projects focus on improving access to quality education and health care, the protection of the environment, the improvement of agricultural productivity, the support of local enterprises, and other endeavors that will benefit the daily lives of community members.”

“Entrepreneurship and sustainability: after 10 years of macodef operations, we decided in 2014 that all the international trustees and the local board of governors would gather together in kenya to evaluate the foundations achievements and to craft a new strategic plan. Local ownership is a large part of our guiding ethos, and we all felt strongly that the local board of governors should be in the lead, both administratively and in fundraising. We agreed that in five years time (that is, by the end of 2019) the international trustees would hand over control of the foundation. Work over that five-year period (2014-2019) has focused on continuing macodefs local development mission while increasing self-sustainability of the foundation in kenya. Based at the resource center, income-generating activities such as poultry and rabbit raising, vegetable sales, internet and printing services, and tent rental expanded, launching an era of greater financial self-sufficiency at the local level. The local board of governors took on increasing responsibility for not only conceiving of projects but also providing a portion of the funding. The dawn of 2020 marked the official handover of foundation control from the international trustees to the local board of governors. While the former trustees remain steadfast and enthusiastic supporters, both financially and in spirit, we share pride and excitement as our management role concludes and macodef embarks on an exciting new era of poverty reduction and sustainable development in maragoli.”

“Education: the education sector continues to represent the core of macodef's development efforts. Every january, vigina secondary school staff identify candidate beneficiaries of the joshua and salome bunyoli scholarship funds, providing tuition and uniforms for promising students who lack the economic means to attend school. While primary school is fully supported by the kenyan national government, significant costs nonetheless remain for younger students.”

“Resource center: the resource center in vigetse village is macodef headquarters. Its bricks-and-mortar presence is a highly visible symbol of organizational strength, while the activities hosted there represent the most potent and persistent embodiment of the foundation's mission in the community. It is the site of our administrative office, a laboratory for small-scale pilot efforts of potential development projects, and a training site for participants in ongoing initiatives. A unique community hub for all ages, the resource center continues to provide a gathering place for local students, members of stakeholder groups, and customers for services and agricultural goods that fill local economic niches and help raise funds for projects. O the resource center hosts a library that is frequented by students who are studying to prepare for high-stakes standardized exams, making expensive study guides ("revision books") available to students of all economic means. O it provides internet, computer and printer access ("cyber services"), technologies that are almost completely absent in local homes, as well as a place for the many local folks who lack home electrical services to charge mobile phones, an increasingly crucial tool for communication and banking for kenyans at all levels of income and wealth. O it is a marketplace, where agricultural products are sold. O it is a training center for those who will develop new skills, such as tailoring, and use them in support of development projects. O it is a gathering place for all members of affiliated local stakeholder groups at their annual meeting.”

“Days for girls: macodef has long recognized the special importance of girls' education for successful community development. One point of vulnerability for schoolgirls is the limited access to costly feminine hygiene products, often leading to several missed school days every month. Girls usually stay home from school when they have their period due to the high cost of feminine hygiene products. Patti moll, a dedicated and long-time supporter of macodef, proposed sewing washable sanitary napkins, providing inexpensive female hygiene that allows girls to remain in school. This enormously successful and promising project, conducted with training from days for girls international, has emerged as one of the foundations most important ongoing initiatives. Involving several tailors based at the resource center, the project provides menstrual kits to hundreds of girls at three schools thus far and continues to expand both geographically and in the number of students served.”