7 days to make a difference

Where hardship means hunger… urban farmers can grow hope

In the crowded and bustling settlements of Nairobi, most parents wake every single day knowing that they must go and earn money, otherwise their children won’t eat that evening. It’s a precarious and frightening daily struggle that no family should have to face.

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Fridah with her grandson, Quillan, outside their house in Dagoretti, Nairobi. Credit: Christian Aid / David Macharia
Fridah and her Grandson Quillan outside their home

‘When I wake up, I have a lot of worries. Sometimes I don't have food,’ says Fridah Moraa, a recently widowed grandmother determined to support her family on what little she earns. 

‘Now I'm responsible for everything.’ With school costs, rent and water to cover, providing food for every meal is a relentless problem that never goes away. 

But with tools, seeds and specialist training from our partner, Beacon of Hope, Fridah’s now making the most of a small space in the city to grow a steady supply of fresh vegetables that she can cook for her family or sell on her market stall.

With her unstoppable resolve, deep faith in God and a little help from our partner, Fridah’s overcoming poverty to feed the youngest members of her family and protect them from the threat of malnutrition. ‘Urban farming has changed my life.’

Together, we must support families like Fridah’s to escape the cruel grip of urban poverty. Because when we give, act and pray this Christian Aid Week, we can make a real difference.

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