Welcome to the second edition of the Pamoja Africa newsletter this year. I’m excited to share some of the eventful weeks we’ve had in Maua Villa. In this newsletter, you’ll read about an exciting new grant, progress on our farm, a new team member, and our annual trip with the kids.
We’ve got funding from the BMZ: Our Permaculture Training can start
After months of planning and waiting, it’s official: we’ll receive funding from the Schmitz Foundation. Through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), they’re supporting our new Permaculture and Agroforestry Training Program with up to €8,450.
Together with mostly local and one international expert, we want to raise awareness around resilient and regenerative approaches – offering a strong alternative to conventional farming methods. The 14-week training series will not only provide participants with theory but also equip them with practical skills they can apply directly on their farms.
The program kicks off on August 22 and is aimed at farmers in the region. It will introduce them to the core principles of permaculture. And it’s only possible because we now have the new community house – the perfect venue for this kind of workshop.
I’m so glad we can now pass on our experience with sustainable agroforestry and farming. Connecting with the community has always been such a valuable part of what we do, and I hope this training lays the foundation for long-term change.
Maua Villa Farm: Our soil is coming back to life
What permaculture can achieve is already visible on the once barren land behind the Girls’ House. Just a few years ago, we were ready to give up on it – now it’s a whole different story. Cassava, our deep-rooted hero crop, is thriving, along with scattered maize, zucchini, and fruit trees like mango, avocado, orange, tomoko – even pomegranates and mulberries.
It’s amazing to see our efforts to improve the soil starting to pay off. The soil now holds water and nutrients a bit better, and luckily, we’ve had a good rainy season this year – maybe it could have lasted a little longer, but it was enough to get our garden blooming again. 🌱
Renovation progress
A lot has also changed in and around the house. In the last newsletter, I told you about our renovation plans during the mid-term break – and we’ve been busy since. I can finally share some photos with you, even if a few things still aren’t 100% done.
The shelves in the new community house turned out great – we’re just waiting to plaster the pillars to finish that area. Our new food storage room (right next to the kitchen) is already in use, though the base for the shelves is still missing. And our new office – which used to be the pantry – is nearly there too: the cupboard’s installed, and even if the final touches are pending, it already looks really good!
New team member: Welcome, Charles!
In our October newsletter, I introduced Veronicah as our new social worker. Our hope was to offer a young professional a solid start to her career while strengthening our team long-term. But in day-to-day work, it became clear that Maua Villa – and especially the one-on-one support for kids facing difficult situations – requires more experience and initiative than Veronicah could provide at the time. After several open conversations, we decided it was time for a new direction.
So I’m even more excited to introduce Charles to you as our newest team member. Right from the interview, we felt it was a great match – and after a successful trial day, it was clear: Charles brings not just years of social work experience, but also the calm, clarity, and empathy our children need. With him, the kids now have a male role model in addition to Felistus and housemother Alice – something that is very valuable for many of them.
Because of his professional background, Charles earns a higher salary – which is why we’re currently looking for more team sponsors. If you’d like to support our dedicated team and help cover the salaries of key people like Charles, check out our new Maua Villa project page . This page gives an updated overview of our original and most heartfelt project: the Maua Villa children’s home.
Even though Charles unfortunately couldn’t join us for this year’s family trip, we had a great time and are all the more excited for the next one with him.
Our annual trip: Camping, hiking & waterfalls
In past years, our big family trip usually meant swimming. But this time, the kids had another wish: they wanted to see wild animals – preferably in a national park.
A proper safari with an overnight stay and a rented bus for nearly 30 people would’ve been a bit too much financially. But we still wanted to make their wish come true. So off we went to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park – a forested area known for its wildlife, including buffalos, according to Kenya Wildlife Service.
The excitement on the way there was huge. For many of the kids, it was their first camping trip and their first night in the forest. In the evening, we cooked a big meal together to get ready for the long hike the next day. Everyone pitched in – and the sense of “we’re doing this together” was truly special.
We set off early the next morning. Not all kids and staff could manage the 13 km to the summit at 2,145 meters, so we split into two groups. Some reached their limits – but the picnic with a view at the top made it all worth it.
And while we didn’t spot any buffalos, some cheeky monkeys caused quite a stir – especially the one that stole Damaris’s chapati 🙈. On our way back, we also stopped at the breathtaking 14 Falls – for many kids, the first waterfall they’d ever seen.
It was a joyful, bonding experience, and who knows – with a bit more planning (and budget), maybe next year we can make a real safari happen!
The video gives an insight into our trip 📹
Clean water thanks to Cents for Help (Bosch)
Earlier I mentioned the grant we received from the Schmitz Foundation. Not long after, Heike received more great news – this time from Cents for Help . A huge thank you to her for getting that application started in the first place!
Cents for Help is supporting Pamoja Africa with €700 to install a water filter system in Maua Villa. The system removes fluoride and other harmful substances, ensuring safe drinking water. The installation was prompted by a water test we conducted in February, which showed elevated fluoride levels. Some children were already showing early signs of fluorosis.
A heartfelt thank you to Cents for Help and the Bosch employees whose support is helping protect the health of our children and team and improve living conditions further.
New project page: Maua Villa
Before I go, I’d love to invite you to visit our new Maua Villa project page . There, you’ll find an overview of what we do and the sponsorship options available to support our work. Right now, we’re especially looking for sponsors for secondary school students and our team – including covering the remaining €140/month for our new social worker Charles. Huge thanks to Jochen, who poured so much time and heart into creating this new page 🙏🏽! And don’t miss the video tour of the grounds, edited and cut by Lucien – thank you so much <3
💛 Thanks for reading & being with us
I’m so glad you made it to the end of this update. As you can see – life at Maua Villa is never boring. I’m already excited to share what’s next in the upcoming edition. Wishing you a wonderful summer and sending heartfelt thanks for your support. 🌻
Yours Anja with great support from Heike & Jochen
