Profile
Undugu Society of Kenya (USK) is one of the oldest development organizations in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on street children rehabilitation and community empowerment. The late father Arnold Grol, a Dutch priest, founded the organization in 1973 after observing a growing phenomenon of street children in Nairobi mainly arising due to rapid urban migration. Fr.Grol intervened by working directly with the children in Nairobi, putting them in centers and implementing activities aimed at reintegrating them into society, caring for their rehabilitation and welfare. The initial activities implemented were curative and preventive under social and handicraft trade aimed at transforming the lives of the street children on the streets into responsible members of society and creating market access for their families. Since its inception USK has helped thousands of children living on the streets rehabilitate and reintegrate back into the society.

USK’s mission is to contribute to the socio-economic empowerment of street children, vulnerable youth and marginalized poor urban and rural communities through lobbying, advocacy, capacity building, access to education and training and creation of linkages aimed at reducing poverty for the attainment of decent livelihoods.

USK’s interventions revolve around four programmes which include Undugu Basic Education Programme, Children and Youth Programme that tries to rehabilitate and reintegrate street children in their families, Undugu Community Empowerment Unit and Undugu Fair Trade Unit.

Undugu Fair Trade unit is part of the preventative wing of USK that facilitates the increase of opportunities for local handicraft producers, to sustainable access basic livelihood securities. The main interest of USK is to empower the producers towards self-reliance. USK critical role in this process is to provide market outlets, product development training and the necessary market information to the producers. The training programme also enables producers to appreciate the true needs of customers, market dynamics and to change from the traditional way and purpose of the craft.

Currently Undugu works with over 900 families/groups in Kisii, Lodwar, Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kitui and Mombasa. These groups produce high quality handicrafts made from soapstone, palm leaf, wood, banana fiber, sisal, and jewellery.

USK together with other partners contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions and securing the rights of marginalized producers. Fair trade partners and consumers are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.