On 4th June 2025, the Executive Director of KEPSA Foundation, Ms. Gloria Ndekei, led a delegation from The Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative’s Africa team on a site visit to the KEPSA Foundation – Lenana School Orchard. The visit aimed to provide the Rockefeller Foundation team with firsthand insight into the initiative’s operations and its potential for scale-up. To commemorate the occasion and demonstrate a commitment to expanding the initiative, both teams planted 20 avocado trees at the orchard. The Rockefeller Foundation team was led by Ms. Betty Kibaara, Director of the Africa Food Initiative.
Discussions with the School Principal, Mr. William Kemei, highlighted the substantial contribution of the orchard and school garden to both the school’s nutrition program and its sustainability as a school enterprise. The initiative not only supports improved student nutrition but also generates income that helps fund under-resourced programs such as student trips and provides support to the needy students’ fund. This initiative therefore, serves as a model that can be replicated and adopted in other schools.
This visit followed an earlier meeting held on 6th May 2025 at The Rockefeller Foundation offices, along with ongoing engagements aimed at developing a business case for the sustainability of the KEPSA Foundation’s Orchard for Schools project, with the Lenana School model serving as a key highlight.
On 5th June, in commemoration of World Environment Day 2025, KEPSA Foundation undertook a monitoring visit to KEPSA Foundation – Mang’u High School Orchard. Discussion with Mang’u High School Deputy Principal, Mr. Lawrence Mungai, confirmed notable progress with the avocado and mango trees planted in 2018 and highlighted a promising opportunity to further strengthen the orchard and garden enterprise for the school’s continued benefit.
