Village Youth Fund

We're thrilled to announce our partnership with Nawiri Child Development Programme! ?? This collaboration focuses on community empowerment and child welfare, especially for girls in pastoral communities at high risk of early marriage and FGM. PlantVillage, through the Village Youth Fund (VYF), and Nawiri will partner to advance child protection and education. We will provide technical support and promote climate-smart agriculture. Nawiri will mobilize communities, support AI-driven agricultural solutions, and assist VYF in empowering vulnerable girls. Together, we are committed to creating sustainable solutions that protect vulnerable girls, strengthen communities, and build a more resilient future.

We're thrilled to announce our partnership with Nawiri Child Development Programme! ?? This collaboration focuses on community empowerment and child welfare, especially for girls in pastoral communities at high risk of early marriage and FGM. PlantVillage, through the Village Youth Fund (VYF), and Nawiri will partner to advance child protection and education. We will provide technical support and promote climate-smart agriculture. Nawiri will mobilize communities, support AI-driven agricultural solutions, and assist VYF in empowering vulnerable girls. Together, we are committed to creating sustainable solutions that protect vulnerable girls, strengthen communities, and build a more resilient future.

Maternal-child health and wellbeing has always been my passion. While I cared about climate change and did my part, I never expected it to become central to my career—until I visited a poorly funded public school in Isiolo that had no tree protection from the arid climate. Dust filled the air, making it hard to breathe and see, and I saw how the children at that school— who were lethargic, coughing up dust, and wheezing with every breath—bore the brunt of it. Mothers told me how a decade ago, they didn’t have to ration safe drinking water in the dry season or have to stand throughout the entire night every time their home flooded during the rainy season. I witnessed how climate change pushed farming families into poverty such that parents could no longer pay their child’s school fees or afford to take them to a health center when they were sick. I saw families so financially desperate from climate change that young girls were married off for dowries, and boys as young as 10 had to drop out of school to work a full time job or become the head of their household after their dad dies in a livestock raid. I witnessed how climate change forced children into having developmentally inappropriate responsibilities—and how growing up too fast took a toll on their mental health…. And my heart broke hearing stories of those same kids later dying by suicide. That’s when I realized that climate change will worsen every public health crisis in the years ahead. The communities on the frontlines are just the first to suffer. If you’re in the U.S. and think grocery prices are bad now, just wait until our global farmland is further devastated by drilling and fracking. People who have known me for years often ask why I’ve suddenly become so passionate about climate change. My answer is simple: climate change IS a maternal-child health issue—and it affects every other public health issue too. I’ve come to understand that child marriage and FGM don’t happen in isolation, and the best way to support women and girls in Isiolo is by helping them adapt to climate change. PlantVillage runs carbon sequestration projects across Africa, including biochar, mangroves, bamboo, and tree planting. We train farmers to record their carbon sequestration in our app, where third-party verification allows them to sell carbon credits to companies and individuals offsetting emissions. Providing families with a stable income keeps kids in school—but we go further. PlantVillage+ also allocates 10% of profits to fund scholarships for children on the frontlines of the climate crisis through Village Youth Fund. If you are a company or individual looking to offset your carbon emissions and you want that money going directly into the pockets of people living on the frontlines of the climate crisis, you can message me here or via email at [email protected]

Two years ago, our Morans conducted interviews with community members in northern Kenya to better understand the challenges surrounding child welfare, including the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Below are just a few powerful quotes from the community on this issue, highlighting the need for change and greater protection for girls. As we observe the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM today, we are reminded of the urgent need to end this harmful practice that continues to put the health, rights, and futures of millions of girls at risk.?Women and girls have long been at the forefront of this fight - we need more men stepping forward to really create social change. We at Village Youth Fund are fortunate to be working with really excellent men like James Ekuwam, Evans Kangiro, and Frankline Lemasulani that are committed to changing this narrative and being anti-FGM champions in their communities. We need more of this happening everywhere!! In patriarchal societies, women and girls have very little power to change this on their own and a lot of men will only listen to other men. Two years ago, PlantVillage was solely focused on food security and climate change. Opening up a dialogue with our team about gender issues is what led to the creation of Village Youth Fund. Thus, we call on other organizations, regardless of their focus, to open up a dialogue with their field officers and empower them to speak out against harmful practices against women and girls. At Village Youth Fund and PlantVillage we have absolutely #ZEROtoleranceforFGM ! David Hughes

We would like to welcome 7-year-old Abigail to the VYF program this year! She will be joining a cohort of 13 girls returning to the VYF program from 2024 “I had the privilege of meeting Abigail last summer and was so impressed by her happy-go-lucky personality and eagerness to learn. I have no doubt that she will fully embrace the opportunities provided by the Village Youth Fund. With her drive and potential, she has an incredibly bright future ahead of her”, Said Kate A. Ott, Village Youth Fund co-founder and CEO Through this support, we empower girls like Abigail to pursue their dreams, break free from the cycle of school dropout and early marriage, and build brighter futures.

We would like to welcome 7-year-old Abigail to the VYF program this year! She will be joining a cohort of 13 girls returning to the VYF program from 2024 “I had the privilege of meeting Abigail last summer and was so impressed by her happy-go-lucky personality and eagerness to learn. I have no doubt that she will fully embrace the opportunities provided by the Village Youth Fund. With her drive and potential, she has an incredibly bright future ahead of her”, Said Kate A. Ott, Village Youth Fund co-founder and CEO Through this support, we empower girls like Abigail to pursue their dreams, break free from the cycle of school dropout and early marriage, and build brighter futures.

Back to school! ??? We’re thrilled to see all our sponsored girls back in class, ready to take on Term One with confidence and determination! 2025 is packed with exciting plans, and we’re honoured to continue supporting these amazing kids every step of the way. Stay tuned for what’s to come!

Back to school! ??? We’re thrilled to see all our sponsored girls back in class, ready to take on Term One with confidence and determination! 2025 is packed with exciting plans, and we’re honoured to continue supporting these amazing kids every step of the way. Stay tuned for what’s to come!

We wish you a prosperous New Year filled with abundance, success, and joy. May all your dreams and aspirations come true.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Village Youth Fund family.