Endebess: An update from the field

Since our last blog update earlier this year, Project Coordinator Moses has been really busy laying crucial foundations setting up the new PFP operation in Endebess, Kenya. Read below what he’s been up to…

“Warm greetings from Endebess, where the rains have been falling, but it has not halted

our progress.

Over recent months we have held meetings in community halls and social venues to engage the local community, including village elders, health workers, teachers and all demographics including women and children. Over 600 attendees in all, who have pledged their commitment to collaborate with PFP. As a sign of ownership the project has been named “KELONG’U KEEY’’, meaning ‘uplifting one another’ in Sabaot (The Sabaot are one of the nine sub-tribes of the Kalenjin of Kenya and Uganda).

A planning meeting with village elders about community engagement

We have also met with educators from 10 catchment schools in the area, along with Ministry of Education officials. As a result we will be working with learning institutions to establish five school clubs – health, debating, environment, 4K and ICT & innovation. School patrons have been nominated to support learners and an induction workshop has developed a six month workplan, which includes exchange programmes and competitions.

Here in Endebess we know how important it is to engage the youth when building a new programme. Sporting and talent nurturing groups have been established to engage local school pupils. After a needs analysis identified lack of coaches, equipment and support skills, PFP will be training coaches and team managers to support the 10 male and female football teams, four volleyball teams and two handball teams already established – and these coaches will also be mentored by the relevant Kenyan sporting federation. PFP has procured sports equipment, with a tournament due to kick off in January 2026! Using expertise and learnings from other PFP project locations in Uganda and Kenya, this will lay a solid foundation that spurs sporting participation and grows talent.

Engaging the youth of Endebess

There are also plans for PFP to support 30 young people who have dropped out of school, equipping them with the skills to earn a living through an ‘Earn as you Learn’ Programme. Three government-owned delivery institutions have been identified and parents have committed to making a small contribution towards the accommodation of those trainees nominated from the community.

To address the triple threat (HIV, teen pregnancies and Menstrual and Sexual Reproductive Health issues) burden the community faces, PFP will be building the capacity of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Endebess. CHPs will help raise awareness of these health concerns in the community, alongside school club health patrons raising awareness at school level. MSRH training is being provided to teenage girls in schools, where 3,000 reusable dignity packs will be donated through the PFP ARISE Centre. CHPs will also sell packs within the community, in turn generating their own income.

We understand how important it is for the community to feel empowered, so we have held civic education forums, attended by hundreds. These forums have enabled youth to obtain national ID documents, for example – a crucial tool for employment in Kenya. A total of 12 livelihood and social enterprise groups (for women, youth, special interest and persons with a disability) have been mobilised and registered with the government social services. They will receive training on our Revolving Loan Fund, which will be rolled out next year.

The Endebess community identified the need to have a vocational empowerment and resource centre at its heart, so mobilised to meet this challenge. In very exciting news, a one acre plot of land that was lying idle has been donated to PFP to replicate the Mbita ARISE Centre model - the name of which will honour Rebecca Cheptegei. Here I was live at the site to announce the good news: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7373354528072617984

This land has already been handed over to PFP and we can’t wait to make this dream a reality!”

Moses