In the forest-adjacent areas where HSHC implements its projects, most people are small-scale farmers. Three million people live in the Mt. Kenya region of which 1 million live below the poverty line and have to survive with an income of less than 2 dollars per day. We focus our work on those most in need.

Target groups include:

1. Small holder farmers
2. Women-headed households
3. Orphans and vulnerable children
4. Small-scale entrepreneurs
5. HIV/Aids affected households

These groups deal with a variety of problems. Access to necessary agricultural inputs is inadequate which leads to low farm output. Food security is low and the diet is unbalanced with high malnutrition rates as a result. Lack of business skills amongst the population hampers the development of a vibrant rural economy. Those that do have the skills face the obstacle of accessing credit to start a business.

Small-holder farmers are dependent on and exploited by middle-men who buy their produce at low prices. Local resources are under-utilised; reasons include lack of knowledge about the economic potential of these resources, lack of technology to process them and lack of capital to start businesses.

Families are generally large with an average of 6 children. Even though primary and secondary school is free now, families still face costs for uniforms, books, other supplies, meals etc. Many families cannot afford to send all their children to school. Traditionally preference is given to boys. The rate of enrolment is 3 boys for every girl. The illiteracy rate is unacceptably high. Women often suffer from human right violations, e.g. (domestic) violence and the lack of property rights.

Help Self Help Centre has organised the population is so-called “Self-Help Groups” to enable them to address their problems in a coordinated way. Since 1993 HSHC has supported the formation of more than 280 groups.