Colette's Grand Detour

Day 8 (4th August 2025)

‘I am because we are’. This is the meaning of the South African word ‘Ubuntu’. It’s a life philosophy that emphasizes connectedness within a community and the wider world. And it is the name of the Foundation that we visited on our way back from the Maasai Mara heading towards Nairobi. It is situated just off Old Nakuru Road nearby Lake Naivasha, and serves the local community of Maai Mahui.

The Ubuntu Foundation provides education, healthcare and employment opportunities to children in the area who have additional needs and severe disabilities as well as their families. Historically there has been a stigma around this in Kenya leading to social exclusion and the knock on social and economic impact this has on the entire family. Ubuntu aims to provide these families with somewhere that can provide both easily accessible healthcare and education.

On the small campus they have built a hospital that means the children can be seen directly without having to travel long distances to access specialist care. And a school that provides specialist education. Alongside this there are social enterprises aimed at making the Foundation self-sufficient with the ultimate goal that it is no longer reliant on donors and employment can be provided to the families. There is a cafe, that we ate in for lunch and the food was delicious. There is a water treatment plant, where they distill water to use themselves as well as sell to the local community. And there is a social enterprise that provides employment, a living wage and health insurance to the parents of the kids, by producing products for a lifestyle brand called Ubuntu Life.

The individuals are trained to use professional sewing machines and they now have over 150 employees producing beautiful and high quality products. They have their own material printing machines and use organic ink as well as their own leather cutting machine. The products they produce include shoes similar to ‘Tom’s’, intricate bead work and beautifully patterned and beaded bags. And the quality is top notch.

They have their own website (www.ubuntulife.com) where you can order things and have them shipped. To expand they are looking to partner with big brands. For example, they got their initial big break in the US by partnering with Wholefoods to sell fabric coffee sleeves and coasters. And are now working with Disney. With the quality of the products they are producing they will no doubt be successful.

This was a great place to visit and was having a huge impact on the local community. You can visit their website at http://www.ubuntulife.foundation.