Torchgrab Africa Agriculture and Healthy Living Initiative

The worldwide food crisis has far-reaching consequences, affecting families worldwide, with a particularly severe impact on those residing in Kenya, Africa.

As food prices surge to unprecedented levels, Torchgrab Africa remains committed to seeking sustainable remedies to address the pressing issue of hunger.

Malnutrition damages children’s growth, learning and development. Torchgrab Africa and local church partners are doing everything possible to give children in poverty and their families resources and opportunities to thrive.

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, a significant number of parents in the Petra School and Nairobi community found themselves abruptly unemployed. The majority of them were engaged in informal occupations that heavily depended on the freedom to move about. Sadly, the pandemic and the ensuing restrictions further exacerbated the hardships faced by these families. Rising costs of essential commodities such as food, fuel, and fertilizer have made it increasingly challenging for these vulnerable households to provide sustenance for their loved ones.

Right now, projections indicate that nearly 670 million people — 8 percent of the world population — will still be facing hunger in 2030.

The Whole Child Approach

We believe that the best solutions to breaking cycles of poverty begin with a focus on kids. Our model is based on the "Whole Child" approach, which aims to ensure that every child in the communities we work with is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. This model prioritizes the holistic development of community, church, and school resources that have the power to transform children's lives. By addressing the needs of children from multiple angles, we hope to create lasting change and break the cycle of poverty.

TORCHGRAB AFRICA IN ACTION

The core elements of our Agriculture and Healthy Living Program, represented by the Five "P's," encompass PRODUCE, PURIFIED water, POULTRY, PORRIDGE, and PLAYSPACE. These foundational factors each fulfill specific roles in our efforts to address child malnutrition and foster a culture of well-being among students and vulnerable children.

Porridge Partners Program

One of the many challenges that hungry children face is the inability to concentrate and learn in the classroom. Listening on an empty stomach makes learning a very tough task.
At Petra School on the Rock, at least 1 in 4 children come to school hungry, without any breakfast.
In an effort to address hunger and food insecurity among students in the slums, Torchgrab Africa has initiated the Porridge Partners program which serves a morning hot porridge for the 1000+ students at Petra School on the Rock.
This porridge is a nutritious combination of milk, maize flour, ancient grains, millet and sorghum to give them a boost of energy, protein, fiber and carbs.
“Porridge Partners” who can pledge to give $35 a month for one year have the joy of feeding 500 children hot porridge once a week.
Porridge Partners who can pledge to give $70 a month for one year have the blessing of providing 1000 kids with hot porridge once a week.

Become a Porridge Partner

Poultry Partners Program

At Petra School on the Rock, at least 1 in 4 children come to school hungry.
In response to this pressing issue, we have taken action as part of our sustainable agriculture initiatives in Kenya. Introducing the "Poultry Partners Program," a transformative effort commencing with 100 chickens raised to provide a reliable source of meat and eggs for both students and staff at the schools we collaborate with. This program aims to offer essential sustenance and protein to the students, enabling them to focus better on their studies and combat malnutrition effectively.
As we developed the Poultry Partners Program, our aim was not only to offer immediate food aid to the Petra community but also to establish a sustainable path and future for the students in Kenya. We envisioned a program where students at Petra could have more access to vital protein while actively participating and learning about its cultivation.
Collaborating closely with Nairobi farmers and Junior Secondary Staff at Petra, we’ve integrated an array of interactive educational encounters for Junior Secondary Students (7th-9th Grade), as an integral component of their recently implemented Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Within our Poultry Partners Program, students engage in the study of poultry life cycles and take hands-on roles in tending to chickens, concurrently delving into subjects encompassing agriculture and biology.
Our partners impart comprehensive training to both students and teachers, ensuring proper care for the chickens. The operation is entirely managed by the Junior Secondary students, while our associates provide regular check-ins and support, nurturing this endeavor for lasting positive change.
"Poultry Partners" who pledge $50 a month for one year have the blessing of reducing hunger and malnutrition among 1000 children in Nairobi, Kenya.

Become a Poultry Partner

Purified Water

Access to clean water has a direct impact on children's education and learning. In the slums, clean water is often scarce, and many children suffer from illness due to poor sanitation and contaminated water. When children are sick, they may miss school and have difficulty keeping up with their peers after extended absences from the classroom

All three schools - Petra A, Petra B and Petra C - are equipped with water filtration systems and restroom facilities for students and staff.

Children who lack access to safe water and sanitation face significant challenges compounded by the fact that their safety and health are at risk when they have little access to proper restroom facilities. For girls, menstruation often prohibits them from attending school to school due to inadequate sanitation and restrooms. Access to water and sanitation changes this.
On a global scale, for every year a child stays in school, their income can increase by 15-25%.
Upon introducing a water filtration system, sickness among students drastically reduced. Further, children began drinking more water at school resulting in proper hydration.
Clean water has resulted in more students attending school regularly. Less and less children are falling behind due to water related illnesses!

At the heart of our efforts towards Agriculture and the battle against the worldwide food crisis lies a distinctive philosophy that harmonizes with sustainability, embraces a holistic development approach, and places paramount importance on equipping youth with enduring skillsets. Our initiatives combat hunger, cultivate employment avenues, impart agricultural wisdom, nurture responsibility, and foster self-reliance among the vulnerable demographic we passionately serve.