Kenya, the "Mutanu: the pink garden" project: women's work and healthcare

In Kathonzweni, in the heart of rural Kenya, the "Mutanu: The Pink Garden" project has been active for over seven years, born thanks to the collaboration with Sister Federica Zoia, a missionary doctor and a key figure in the area.

This project represents a true journey towards female employment: 20 local women can work, grow professionally, and improve the economic conditions of their families. Today, Mutanu is not just a garden, but a true engine of community emancipation and development.

The Mutanu Project's Areas of Action and Activities

Currently, the women involved in the project carry out various activities every day:

• Greenhouse farming, growing tomatoes, onions, peppers, and sukuma (kale). This ensures the women a healthy diet and, through the sale of garden produce at the market, pays school fees for the children of the women involved in the project.
• Raising chickens, goats, and cows. At the market, women also sell eggs and milk from their animals.
• Access to water. Drought has been a serious problem for the project at times. Therefore, we purchased jerry cans to collect water, both for drinking and for irrigation and livestock farming.
• Rental services. The group owns chairs and tents for events that are rented out for weddings, funerals, and celebrations, generating a stable income.

Additional support for 2025: healthcare training

Sister Federica Zoia, in addition to being our local contact, is a doctor. Every week, her mobile clinic travels to different villages in the area to offer free medical checkups and treatment to the entire population.

She also works with Fidelis, a medical student specializing in respiratory diseases and who would like to complete his training in spirometry. The Valter Baldaccini Foundation has made an extraordinary contribution this year to allow Fidelis to complete his studies and thus provide access to treatment to even more people.

A project that combines work, health, and hope

"Mutanu: the pink garden" is much more than an agricultural project. It is a concrete example of how, through education, decent work, and access to healthcare, we can build a more equitable and sustainable future, starting with the most vulnerable communities.

Thanks to the support of its donors, the Valter Baldaccini Foundation will continue to support initiatives like this, which have a real impact on people's lives.