How Nuru Is Different?
Service Leadership
Nuru identifies, screens and mentors local leaders in the principles of service leadership (humility, growth-focused, leading by example, feedback driven). We then mobilize the community into groups led by these local leaders. Our community mobilization model is an effective platform to introduce innovative solutions that address the community’s needs. Nuru’s Western staff remains behind the scenes, coaching the local leaders and supplying them with the expertise they need to implement all aspects of Nuru’s model.
General Contractor of NGOs
Nuru’s Research Team studies both the social and private sectors to identify the most effective methods of fighting extreme poverty in our five areas of development (Agriculture, Water & Sanitation, Healthcare, Education and Community Economic Development). Top organizations specializing in these methods (such as One Acre Fund and Living Water International) are invited to join Nuru in addressing the needs of our communities. Nuru coordinates these organizations simultaneously as a sort of “general contractor,” maximizing both Nuru’s and our partners' effectiveness and efficiency.
Measurement and Evaluation
Nuru is pioneering a system of metrics to measure our own effectiveness and serve as a “universal measuring stick” to assess the impact of other organizations. Nuru's Research Team conducts yearly audits of our work on the ground and of our metric system itself. To ensure transparency we commission regular 3rd party evaluation of both our methodology and our impact.
Sustainability and Scalability
Nuru integrates revenue generation models into all five of our program areas. Income generated by these models is channeled into a village bank which eventually enables the community to achieve financial self-sustainability. This enables the exit of all Western staff and funding after five years. In addition, Nuru’s service leadership network continues to scale our programs to neighboring districts, eventually achieving national impact.
Where Does Nuru Work?
Location: Kuria District, Kenya
Scope: 1,000 families in 23 villages impacting over 5,000 people
Community Penetration: 75%
Start Date: September, 2008
Located in the southwest of the country, Kuria is the second poorest district in all of Kenya.
Kuria Before Nuru
Before Nuru arrived, local farmers had very low maize (corn) yields resulting in a hunger season between harvests. There were very few clean water sources and waterborne disease was rampant. The health facilities were desperately lacking resources, and malaria, diarrhea and upper-respiratory tract infections plagued the local population. School drop out rates were high, especially for girls, and few parents could afford to send their children to secondary school. There was no bank in the community, no business training, and no access to capital for investment.
When Nuru Arrived in Kuria...
When Nuru arrived we met with local officials and village elders, listened to their needs and ideas for solutions. Next we hit the streets (or dirt roads) visiting farmers in their fields, mud-walled homes, and at water collection points to gather vital information needed to establish a baseline for our measurement and evaluation system. When we held our group formation meeting 450 farmers showed up to join Nuru (we had expected 150). These farmers were put into groups, trained in effective farming techniques, and provided a loan of maize seed and fertilizer. Nuru Groups planted, weeded, and harvested their crops together, and the average maize yield increased by 300%. Farmers repaid their loans, kept enough maize to feed their families, and sold the rest at a profit. Nuru trained the community in financial planning, taught life saving sanitation and healthcare techniques, and provided teacher training for area teachers.
Kuria Project Highlights
1,389 farmers and their families are in Nuru's programs
15 tons of maize seed and 150 tons of fertilizer distributed
Average 300% increase in maize yields
98% repayment rate
2,250 people trained on clean water and sanitation techniques
Four deep wells drilled at local primary schools
Rainwater catchment pilot program
Community latrine
2,250 people trained on healthcare techniques
1,000 anti-malarial bednets distributed at a subsidized rate
Renovation of local Health Center; equipped and staffed a laboratory and maternity ward
Mobile clinics dewormed school children provided health training
Worked with local headmasters to establish buy-in
Renovating and building classrooms at local school
On-going early education teacher training
Began process of creating a model school for the community
Taught financial planning to over 400 families
Established a village bank called Jamii Development Fund
33 farmer savings clubs
Began micro-finance institution and have begun dispersing micro-loans to qualifying savings club members