Watu Wangu

Watu Wangu is a partnership between Watu Wangu Foundation in the Netherlands and the Kenyan NGO Watu Wangu Kenya.

Watu Wangu Foundation was established in 2007 at the initiative of Hellen Kavinya Muthengi, a Kenyan-Dutch woman, with the aim of establishing a children's home: Watu Wangu Children's Centre. After returning to Kenya, she wanted to help others, just as she herself had once been helped when she faced difficult circumstances as a single teenage mother. Her own experiences taught her that sometimes a helping hand is all it takes to give people the strength and practical tools to take control of their lives.

During the construction and operation of Watu Wangu Children's Centre, various smaller projects were also carried out alongside the care provided to the children. When the children's home closed in 2017, the buildings remained. Today, the former children's home houses Watu Wangu Centre, from which Watu Wangu Kenya operates. It is also home to Watu Wangu Academy, an education and empowerment programme focused on girls and young women.

Over the years, Watu Wangu has implemented a range of projects in areas including education, water supply, food security and healthcare. Today, the organisation focuses primarily on empowerment, education and economic independence.

Gradually, the team in Kenya took on increasing responsibility for the programmes and projects. This development led to the establishment of Watu Wangu Kenya NGO in 2020, registered with the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA). This gave formal recognition to local responsibility and ownership.

Watu Wangu Kenya maintains relationships with local partners and stakeholders and works closely with communities to identify their needs and opportunities. This informs the development of new initiatives and the continued development of existing programmes. Watu Wangu Foundation focuses on research, project development, fundraising, monitoring, evaluation and reporting to partners and donors.

Both partners contribute their respective expertise to the development and implementation of programmes and projects and share responsibility for fulfilling Watu Wangu's mission: supporting people in Kenya in building independent and dignified lives.

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Method

Locally identified needs

Watu Wangu develops programmes and projects in close collaboration with and emerging from local communities and partners. The needs, experiences and priorities of the people concerned guide this work.

Equal partnership

Watu Wangu Foundation and Watu Wangu Kenya share responsibility for programmes and projects, each contributing its own expertise. Watu Wangu Kenya maintains local relationships and coordinates implementation. Stichting Watu Wangu focuses, among other things, on research, project development, fundraising, monitoring and reporting.

Independence and dignity

Watu Wangu aims not to create dependency on assistance, but to help people build on their own abilities and shape their lives as independently as possible. Respect, self-determination and equal opportunities are central to this approach.

Sustainable outcomes

Watu Wangu prioritises quality, personal involvement and solutions that reflect local circumstances and can be sustained over the long term.

Policy and Action Plan

Since its establishment in 2007, Watu Wangu has undertaken a range of projects addressing issues including children's care, access to drinking water, sanitation and food security. An overview of these projects is available on the homepage.

Programmes and Priorities

A key programme is Watu Wangu Academy, which supports girls and young women who have not completed their education in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen their economic independence and resilience.

Watu Wangu also supports individual students, initiatives promoting economic independence, older people and individuals in need of medical assistance. Projects addressing access to water and other essential needs remain part of its work.

Through the Girls' Health, Dignity & Empowerment Initiative, Watu Wangu addresses menstrual health, hygiene and reproductive health, aiming to improve the health, dignity, self-reliance and school participation of girls and young women. Watu Wangu works with partners including AfriPads to facilitate the distribution of menstrual products.

Further initiatives are being developed to improve rainwater harvesting and storage, helping households and communities with limited resources gain access to a more reliable water supply.

Watu Wangu is developing a programme to support people with disabilities in the rural area of Mutonguni in Kitui County. The project aims to enhance their independence, safety and dignity by, among other things, improving access to housing and sanitation facilities, providing mobility aids, and promoting access to healthcare, education and economic opportunities. The needs and capabilities of the individuals concerned and their families form the starting point. The ultimate goal is to enable people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities and live as independently as possible.

The scope and implementation of activities depend on local needs, available resources and funding.

Funding and Management

Programmes and projects are financed through contributions from grant-making organisations, individuals and businesses, supplemented by fundraising activities organised by Stichting Watu Wangu and volunteers.

Board members and volunteers in both the Netherlands and Kenya receive no remuneration for their work. Reasonable, documented expenses may be reimbursed. Available resources are directed towards achieving Watu Wangu's objectives as far as possible.