For the last three years, Ufadhili Trust has undertaken a number of activities aimed empowering economically the communities around Lake Victoria in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Through the Lake Victoria Livelihood Programme, Ufadhili Trust has been encouraging and helping the marginalized fishing communities around the Lake Victoria to come up with viable alternative income generating initiatives. The initiatives include: horticulture, crafts and weaving, poultry farming, pig rearing, and business development services.

In Kenya, horticulture projects are being implemented in Mfangano Island, with Sena community. Ufadhili Trust has partnered with the Anglican Development Services (ADS) to train the community on production of green grams, pepper, kale, spinach, coriander, cow peas, tomatoes, and beans. These trainings aim at building the capacity of the farmers to produce quality goods.

Consequently, these efforts have borne fruits. Horticulture farming is changing people’s lives within the

Mfangano Island. The farmers have now formed an association to help them in marketing of their produce within the Island as well as the neighbouring Islands of Remba, Ringiti, Kibuogi, and Uyoma beaches.

During a marketing survey organized by Ufadhili Trust between 16th October and 6th November, 2011, five farmers sold produce worth Kshs. 90,000 within the period of three weeks.

According to one of the farmers, Mrs Beatrice Obiero, who participated in the activity, this will go along way in improving her living standards. She says will use part of the money to expand her farm so that in the next season, she can serve even more people with farm produce

She is grateful to Ufadhili Trust for initiating the Lake Victoria Livelihood programme and hopes that the program will expand to include farmers in the whole of Mfangano Island (both East and West)