Asilomar is located in Kilifi County which has one of the highest number of stunted children in Kenya with one in every three children affected. Asilomar is intended to be a learning and demonstration centre for the community including schools, to show how you can grow nutrient-dense food even in harsh climatic conditions here rainfall is minimal and soil quality is poor.

On a visit back to his hometown (Msumarini) in Kenya in 2020, Norbert Chumu was shocked to see the increase in poverty in the surrounding community. He therefore decided to leave his 25 year ministry in the UK and return to Kenya to follow his vision to help address this issue. By using permaculture and regenerative agriculture his demonstration plot has now started to grow crops. Asilomar Foundation has formed a strong partnership with Link International Innovation who will manage the project from the UK.

ALMT funding will teach 60 children at the neighbouring secondary school how to set up vegetable gardens in the school grounds. This pilot project will run sessions twice a week and also provide a nutrient-rich meal to all partipants. This will be a source of much needed vegetables as a supplement to their school meals which many children are currently unable to afford. Topics will include composting, nursery set-up, maintenance and propagation, irrigation systems and water harvesting, waste-water management, efficient water use, integrated pest management, tree planting and mulching, digging swales and kitchen-garden set-up.

The school has allocated a plot for this garden and the project will be open to all children and especially those who belong to the school’s young farmers’ club. The expectation is that the children will eventually transfer their skills and set up their own kitchen gardens in their homes to grow food for their families. It is hoped that this is a long-lasting solution toward the malnutrition problem and will also enable children to remain in education.