Learning and Development Kenya (LDK)

Between 2000 and 2003 micro credit remained LDK’s main project within the rural communities in the arid and semi arid areas of Baringo, Koibatek, Laikipia, Molo and Nakuru Districts within the Rift Valley province and Machakos district in Eastern province.

Since 2003 LDK has provided interest free revolving loans to start up businesses to 85 households in the urban poor families within Rhonda slums. The community of Rhonda slums is very poor with a majority of the population living below poverty line. A majority can hardly be sure of their next meal. The community lives in a settlement area with makeshift housing and lack basic physical infrastructure and social amenities, including pipe borne water. AIDS has largely contributed to high poverty levels within this area, leaving many children and youth without parents. Their access to education is severely hampered. AIDS is also a high risk to vulnerable youth due to existing high poverty levels.

The micro credit project is based on the premise that trade is the most effective way of helping the poor to create sustainable, long-term solutions to the economic problems they face. It is implemented on the believe that the best way to address poverty is to help families and individuals to become financially independent – through free revolving loans, education and training, that will lead them into income generation and employment.

LDK implements a literacy project, designed to improve on the literacy and reading skills of the orphans and needy children and prepare them for positive and active participation in nation building. The project aims at preventing orphans and other children from poor families from going to the streets and becoming street families.

LDK has continued to provide basic needs to orphans and other vulnerable children that it has taken a responsibility to support through its rehabilitation project founded 10 years ago.