Change can be difficult — but it can also open the door to unexpected growth. Development partners in the village of Igembe, Kenya, have seen this firsthand as a new approach to community development takes root.
Anglican Development Services Mt. Kenya East (ADSMKE), working alongside World Renew, is implementing a four-year integrated food security program in Igembe. The initiative brings together practical solutions that respond to interconnected challenges faced by rural households.
A Holistic Approach to Food Security
The program focuses on multiple areas that support long-term wellbeing: building capacity to produce more diverse and nutritious foods; improving access to land and water for agriculture; establishing Village Savings and Loans Associations; promoting maternal, infant, and child health; and strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene practices.
In Igembe, community members are experiencing a different pace and depth of engagement than they’ve seen before — one that allows trust, leadership, and participation to grow over time.
Traditionally, World Renew and its partners have worked with two or three local villages at a time. This approach shifts that model by concentrating time, effort, and energy on a single village before moving on. Over four years, the program will engage four villages — one at a time — allowing deeper relationships, stronger local leadership, and more sustainable results to take shape.
Early Signs of Ownership and Confidence
Even in the early stages, the change is showing promise. One World Renew field staff member described a recent visit with enthusiasm:
“When I recently visited the community… after about one year of implementation, I saw an enthusiasm, confidence, ownership, leadership, and excitement by the community members that I have rarely experienced in a field visit.”
As the program continues over the coming years, there is hope that lessons learned in Igembe will inform future work — not only in neighbouring villages, but across other development efforts as well. Change may require patience, but when communities are supported to lead their own progress, its benefits can extend far beyond the original starting point.
