CowPeas, Dogs & Indigenous Seeds
Make It Rain For Change $10 Challenge Part 3: ChangeMakers activate the permaculture principles of Earth Care, People Care & Fair Share
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Welcome to Part 3 in the “Make It Rain For Change” series where we learn how far $10 goes to transforming lives in Africa. In November, I distributed the $350 in the RainMaker Fund (raised from paid subscribers and donors) equally amongst the 35 African activists I interviewed this summer.
RAINMAKER FUND REPLENISHED!
First, I’m excited to share that after our Part 2 article was published we received a founding annual donation of $120! That critical donation plus existing monthly and annual donations puts us closer to repleninshing the RainMaker Fund. Every time we reach $350, we will do another distribution to ChangeMakers!
Would you help us get to $350 by upgrading your subscription today or making a direct donation to the RainMaker Fund?
RainMakers & ChangeMakers is a GiveBackStack. All donations and subscriptions are donated to the RainMaker Fund for direct impact via vetted ChangeMakers.
The ChangeMaker Challenge: What meaningful impact can you deliver to others with just $10?
In Part 1, Bountiful Trees & Chess Accessories, we learned that 5 ChangeMakers transformed $50 into 61 newly planted trees, a chess clock to level up learning for a 30-member chess club in Kibera slums, and a chess table and bench to support game play in rural Malawi! In Part 2, ChangeMakers Choose Children, five other ChangeMakers reported on how they transformed their $10 donation into:
a hand-crocheted doll for a refugee child in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya
paper and pencils to support children’s learning and expressive drawing in Nakivale Refugee Settlement (Uganda) and Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya)
and two hens whose eggs and offspring will help fund school fees for young girls in Kenya
teaching children in Kibera Slums, Kenya how to make 20 litres of liquid soap and then giving each child a litre to bring home
In this edition, Part 3, we find ChangeMakers continuing to prioritize the most vulnerable amongst us: children, youth, and now street dogs!
Addressing Food Security One CowPea At A Time
Congolese refugee, 29-year old Polydord Wasokye of Life Skills for a Better Future in Kakuma Refugee Camp Kenya, turned his $10 RainMaker Fund donation into CowPea seedlings for 5 refugee children to care for and benefit from.
In Kakuma's dry climate, I chose cowpeas because they’re fast-growing and resilient to drought. These crops will not only provide food for the children’s families but also give them the opportunity to sell their harvest, generating income and building their sense of resilience. - Polydord Wasokye
This project is more than just about food—it's about giving these children the skills to sustain themselves, build hope, and improve their futures. I’ve been guiding them on how to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, and care for their gardens. The skills they are learning will stay with them for life.
The difference this $10 has already made is clear. These children are learning responsibility, seeing the results of their hard work, and gaining the confidence to change their circumstances.
Food insecurity is the major challenge in the camp, depending on insufficient humanitarian food aid cannot meet dietary needs. It will be great for them to shift from one meal to 2 a day through this small donation as they are learning the concept of People, Earth and Fair share. - Polydord Wasokye
Vaccinating Street Dogs Against Rabies in Kenya
When I interviewed Kevin Kamau this summer, it was related to his work with Roland Van Reenen and Dee J Essy of Kwetu Regenerative Hub in the semi-arid desertified region of Kitui County. Because my interviews were focused on the person, I got Kevin’s personal story and found out he is passionate about animals and dreams of opening a dog rescue some day. We were able to add him as a recipient of the RainMaker Fund to support his dream.
I don’t just look at people. I look at animals. If there is something I wish I could do, it would be the rehabilitation of dogs. There are so many stray dogs in Nairobi and near my home. - Kevin Kamau
Kevin works with his friend Antony Karanja Kimani who is a local veterinarian to vaccinate street dogs against rabies, both to protect the dogs from execution but also to help fight what has become an epidemic in the region.
With his $10 RainMaker donation, Kevin worked with Antony to vaccinate against rabies three street dogs, including his favorite dog Guka (“grandfather” in his language). Guka lives on the streets and is fed when possible by Kevin. Now vaccinated, Guka’s rabies certificate stays with the local butcher where he likes to frequent for treats. Vaccinated dogs are also marked with paint so they can be properly identified and are therefore safe from execution by local authorities.
Kevin has also been rescuing puppies when he can. While the street dogs are friendly to Kevin, they are not easily trained. Kevin looks to the new generation of puppies to train them, ultimately hoping to give them good homes with new owners in the future. Here are two frolicking pups he found abandoned on a farm recently that he has been taking care of with the help of Antony.
Kevin does all of this work on his own when he has the funds available. Reach out via comment or direct chat (or email me at rainmakerdesign4africa@gmail.com) if you would like to support his work with street dogs in Kenya.
Distributing Indigenous Seeds to Support Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture
Steve Tolo of Regenerative Agriculture for Community Empowerment (RACE) in Kisumu Kenya (on the shores of Lake Victoria) is passionate about bringing permaculture to his community to encourage their self-sufficiency. He transformed his $10 into a sustainable gift to a woman farmer in his community, practicing the permaculture principles of Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share.
RACE aims to empower more smallholder farmers to adopt sustainable farming and to do so, seeds especially indigenous seeds are key to initiating farmers adoption of regenerative agriculture. - Steve Tolo
We have one local smallholder farmer given start up indigenous seeds and local tree seedlings to start a regenerative kitchen garden with the current rains. The package included 10 different indigenous seeds of both vegetables and cereals and 6 pieces, two variety of local wood trees. Our aim is to ensure every month we empower new farmers with a package. - Steve Tolo
TAPA Teaches Permaculture to Youth
While the full project is not yet complete, Ugandan permaculture trainer and TAPA founder (Teso Advanced Permaculture Association) Deborah Aluka is working with her team to create a raised seedling bed to serve as a permaculture demonstration site for the youth groups her organization runs. In the next issue, we hope to have pictures of the seedling bed planted! She used her $10 to purchase the seed packets but first is building this raised bed with the youth.
Thank you for reading. I’ll be back in the New Year with Part 4 of “Make It Rain For Change” stories!
Consider upgrading your subscription so that we can rebuild the RainMaker Fund!
If you’re not interested in upgrading but wish to make a one-time contribution, the button below will take you to the “Buy Me A Coffee” page that I set up specifically for one-time RainMaker Fund donations.
Until next time, be well! Make it rain, create some change!
