Ndethya Nguteithye Farming Cooperative

Ndethya is a women’s agricultural cooperative, located about two hours east of Nairobi at Kathonzweni, Kenya. The cooperative was started by a group of women with whom Claire Robertson became acquainted while doing field work in African History.

Kathonzweni is in a remote, very dry area, settled for farming through government grants in the 1970s. Ndethya was formed in the 1990s to help local women and families, with a membership now of about 40 women, including younger recruits.

 

Most of the funds previously given were used to build a dam and pond for watering animals, and water tanks for each compound (usually composed of several houses of related families), first made of clay bricks and plaster and then replaced with larger plastic tanks. The group elected to use the 2017 funding mainly for food because of the four-year drought they are experiencing, which has made most farming impractical.

Water tank acquired with IOTF funds.

International Outreach Task Force