The Enterprise Development Centre, or EDC, is a collection of activities which answers to a need of the local communities but at the same time generates income for HSHC. The revenues help the organisation to function is a sustainable and independent way. Financial sustainability is essential for responding in a quick and adequate way to the needs of our target groups.

EDC consists of the following components:
•  Edible and non-edible oil processing (Horizon Business Ventures)
•  Bio-diesel production (Kenya Eco-Energy Project)
•  Mushroom growing
•  Guest house
•  Training facility
•  Vocational training centre (tailoring, saloon)

Edible and non-edible oil processing
The farmers in the surroundings of Naro Moru have been growing sunflower for some time. However, due to lack of processing facilities the price they got for their crop was low. In response, HSHC started a processing facility where sunflower is processed. Farmers now have a reliable and fair market for their seeds.

In the mean time, other oil crops are promoted by HSHC to complement sunflower. These include canola and cape chest nut seeds. The cape chestnut tree is an indigenous tree that is abundant in this area. Local communities are asked to collect the seeds which up till now were left to rot. In order not to disturb the local eco-system, only half of the fallen seeds are collected, so that the remainder can be used by animals, birds and for regeneration.

Collecting the seeds is a welcome additional income-generating activity for the communities which can be done by women, men and youth and is easily to combine with other activities such as farming.

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Bio-diesel production (Kenya Eco-Energy Project)
As fossil fuels are running out, there is an increasing demand for alternative fuels. Bio-diesel is a good alternative which can be produced at competing prices. HSHC started an exciting project to produce bio-diesel from the oil produced at the EDC. HSHC mainly uses non-edible oil like croton and cape-chestnut oil.

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Mushroom growing
Mushrooms are relatively unknown in Kenya. However, mushrooms are very nutritious and a market is emerging rapidly. Since mushrooms do not take a lot of space, even people who do not own large pieces of land can grow them. HSHC has a production shed and has been training self help groups in mushroom growing. The income from the mushroom sales is used for developing and implementing other community projects.

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Guest house
At the EDC premises a comfortable guest house with 12 rooms was constructed. HSHC’s guests and staff can stay in the guest house, but the majority of the rooms are used by volunteers and interns who support the organisation with skills, knowledge, time and energy. For more information about the volunteer programme, click here.
To download our guest house brochure click here.

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Conference facility
At the same site, 4 conference rooms are available for training our community groups and organising workshops. The conference facility is also rented out to fellow NGOs, government agencies and others. Each room can accommodate about 20 people, and catering can be arranged. For more information about renting the conference facility, availability and prices, please contact us or download our brochure here

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Vocational training centre
In the vocational training centre girls (and an occasional boy) are trained in tailoring, knitting and / or hairdressing. The training lasts about 6 months after which the trainees are ready to start their own business and can earn their own income. The centre is run by the community-members themselves. For using the facilities, the teacher pays a small contribution which is covered by the training fees paid by the students. HSHC promotes the independence of the training centre to ensure sustainability.

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