Since Covid-19 became a Global Pandemic, livelihoods have been destroyed. According to the World Bank, Global poverty is expected to rise to 8.6%, for the first time in 20 years. The impact of the Virus is seen in the deterioration of economic activity especially in Africa, where one in three Africans live below the poverty line. In Kenya, low and middle income earners were hardest hit by the pandemic. This has trickled down to household welfare through reduced job opportunities and lower earnings.

One of One World One Future’s objective is to economically empower women through sustainable economic activities.  It is for this reason that the Trust got into a partnership with Assumption Sisters in Kitui, who have brought together young women, to help them earn a living by harvesting and selling honey through one of their Community Projects. The Assumption sisters provide beehives, training and other resources for bee keeping to a group of 150 young women in Kitui. This has been in operation for months now.

The major challenge the project had was where to find a reliable market for the honey. The Trust came in to fill that gap by ensuring the young women have access to a ready market for the honey. The Trust through its local networks, links the women to local buyers thereby eliminating the worry. The Trust has so far engaged hotels, restaurants, vegetable vendors, and mini markets. The Trust has also engaged organizations that deal with youth and women in Nairobi, with the view of helping the beneficiaries earn a living as well by providing them with organic honey to sell. One such organization is Kenya Society of Care leavers (KESCA), an organization for adults (18 + years) who spent all or part of their childhood in children homes, orphanages, and or rehabilitation centers. By making pure organic honey available to them at a subsidized cost, provides an opportunity for the care leavers to sell and earn a living.

One World One Future is still looking to get into partnership with several other organizations, companies and local vendors, as this is a long term project.