What We Do
Our Community Partnership model
Our Approach: Community-Led, Participatory Development
At PFP, we believe lasting change begins when communities lead their own development. Rather than imposing external solutions, we start by listening - working with communities to identify their most pressing needs and co-design practical, sustainable responses.
Our approach recognises that people experiencing poverty are not passive recipients of aid, but active partners with the knowledge, skills and determination to shape their future. We call this approach “handshakes not handouts.”
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Laying the Foundations:
Meeting Basic Needs
In every community we partner with, the first step is to address essential infrastructure needs: clean water, sanitation, energy, and access to technology.
Without these, other development efforts cannot take root.
That’s why our foundation work focuses on:
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Solar-powered water systems that provide safe, reliable access to clean water.
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Improved sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and households.
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Affordable, renewable energy that supports health centres, schools, and small enterprises.
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Appropriate technologies that reduce labour, increase productivity, and protect the environment.
These investments create the conditions for health, dignity, and opportunity - enabling communities to engage fully in wider development planning.
Co-Designing Sustainable Development
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Once these basics are secured, we work alongside community members to design the next phase of development: programmes that build skills, strengthen local systems, and grow livelihoods.
The image below illustrates PFP’s Sustainable Development Partnership Model, which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reflects our holistic, interconnected approach.
Empowering Local Ownership
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True sustainability comes when communities take ownership of their development journey.
PFP supports the creation of inclusive committees, cooperatives, and local enterprises to manage resources, reinvest surpluses, and ensure accountability.
By strengthening governance and leadership at the community level, we help build the confidence and capacity for long-term self-reliance, so that progress continues long after our direct involvement ends.
In summary, PFP’s model moves from basic infrastructure to skills, livelihoods, and resilience, guided always by the principle that communities themselves are the drivers of sustainable change. Our vision is simple but powerful:
Healthy, skilled people building prosperous, sustainable communities.
Clean Water
Access to safe, reliable water is the foundation for good health, livelihoods, and dignity. We work with communities to design affordable, solar-powered water systems that reduce the burden on women and children, improve hygiene, and support small-scale farming. Each system is managed by a local committee trained in transparency and maintenance, and people pay for what they use - ensuring that water remains available for all, sustainably and equitably.
Delivered in:
Dalelekutuk, Kenya
Waste and Sanitation
Good sanitation protects families, schools, and the environment. We help communities plan and build improved latrines, handwashing stations, and menstrual hygiene facilities, using locally available materials and labour wherever possible. We introduce innovations and sustainable technologies such as biodigester toilets and Black Soldier Fly waste treatment. Alongside infrastructure, we support hygiene education and community-led campaigns to reduce open defecation, improve menstrual hygiene management, and promote waste separation, composting, and recycling.
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Sustainable Agriculture
Our regenerative agriculture programmes restore soil health, conserve water, and improve yields while protecting biodiversity. By integrating crops, livestock, and aquaculture in closed-loop systems, we help farming families reduce costs, feed their households, and generate new income streams. The result is nutritious food, greater resilience, and a healthier environment for future generations.
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Education and
Vocational Training
Education is at the heart of community transformation. We work with schools to improve classrooms, resources, and access to learning - particularly for girls and children in remote areas. Through PFP Clubs, learners explore five areas: digital literacy, environmental stewardship, school enterprise, menstrual and sexual reproductive health, and sports and physical wellbeing. Older youth and adults can build practical skills through vocational training and life skills workshops that prepare them for meaningful employment or entrepreneurship.
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Menstrual and Sexual Reproductive Health
We believe every girl and woman deserves to manage her health with confidence and dignity. Our MSRH programme delivers evidence-based education in schools and communities, led by trained facilitators who create safe spaces for discussion. We also distribute reusable sanitary pads and period pants produced locally at our ARISE Centre in Mbita, providing employment for women and reducing waste from disposable products.
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Window to the World
Our Window to the World initiative connects rural schools to a world of opportunity through digital learning. We construct and equip ICT hubs powered by solar energy, providing students and teachers with access to global knowledge, online resources, and cross-cultural exchange. Partner schools are twinned with UK counterparts, promoting shared learning, creativity, and global citizenship.
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Livelihoods and Small
Business Incubator
Through the PFP Academy, we nurture community entrepreneurs - from youth starting small enterprises to women expanding home-based businesses. Participants receive training in financial literacy, business planning, and leadership, alongside access to vocational training and small revolving loans. The goal is not just income, but empowerment: equipping people with the confidence and capacity to shape change in their communities.
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Strengthening Local Health Resilience
We collaborate with local health departments and community leaders to strengthen healthcare access for the most vulnerable. This includes supporting health camps, training Community Health Promotors, and improving referral systems for maternal and child health. Our approach blends preventive care, education, and system strengthening to build healthier, more resilient communities.
Delivered in:
Homa Bay County, Kenya
Climate-Smart Villages
Communities on the frontline of climate change need practical, locally led solutions. Our Climate-Smart Villages programme helps households adopt clean energy, fuel-efficient cookstoves, tree planting, and sustainable land use. These interventions reduce emissions, improve health, and build adaptive capacity to cope with droughts, floods, and other climate stresses - all while empowering communities to take charge of their environmental future.
Delivered in:
Dalelekutuk, Kenya