At our New Roots Watamu School, around 100 children are currently learning in five classrooms – free of charge and with a lot of heart. Many of them couldn't afford to attend a public school. We give them the chance to learn, grow, and believe in themselves. Our offerings are complemented by a small daycare center with eight children, where even the youngest children are encouraged through play and find security. In addition to the lessons, we place great value on personal development, creative expression, and environmental awareness. Every day, all children receive a warm, balanced meal because nutrition is a crucial part of sustainable education. Our school is a place of community where children are seen, supported, and encouraged. We want to grow step by step – so that even more children have access to education and opportunities.

Health is the foundation for education, participation, and a self-determined life. With the New Roots Medical Center, we are creating a place of medical care and trust – right in the heart of our community in Watamu. The center has two treatment rooms and a small pharmacy. Here, a doctor and two nurses take care of the health needs of women, pregnant women, and children – free of charge, discreetly, and professionally. The focus is on regular health checkups, the treatment of common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea, malaria, and infections, as well as comprehensive prenatal care with advice on nutrition and health during pregnancy. In this way, we specifically strengthen the health of mothers and their babies – long before and after birth. Another focus is on vaccinations against preventable diseases such as measles, polio, hepatitis B, and tetanus – a crucial contribution to reducing child mortality and strengthening the entire community. In addition, we offer confidential HIV counseling, education, and medical support – including diagnostics, monitoring, and access to antiretroviral medications. Our goal is to detect the virus early, treat it, and prevent its spread. Surgeries are performed in cooperation with external facilities when necessary—our focus is deliberately on primary medical care and prevention. This Medical Center was made possible through the generous support of a Munich-based management consultancy that shares our vision: Health should not be a privilege. It is a human right.

Many women in our community face significant challenges: They care not only for their own children, but often also for nieces, nephews, or grandchildren – often all on their own. Some have suffered traumatic experiences such as violence or abuse. With our Women's Empowerment Program, we create a safe space for healing, development, and genuine perspectives. An experienced psychologist offers free counseling sessions for affected women and children – sensitive, professional, and confidential. But empowerment means more to us than support – it means independence. That's why we offer practical training courses where women can learn new skills: tailoring, hairdressing, computer skills, and other qualifications that help them earn their own income and live more independently. We actively involve women in our projects, promote their talents, and make them visible – as pillars of a strong, supportive community. Our goal: to empower women – so they can shape their own future.

Watamu is a unique habitat with an impressive diversity of plants and animals, both on land and in the sea. The nearby Mida Creek and the Indian Ocean are home to endangered species such as the green sea turtle, which requires special protection. As New Roots, we are actively committed to preserving this natural environment with regular beach cleanups, mangrove planting campaigns, and educational events. Everyone in the community is welcome to participate! We are particularly proud of our partnership with the organization Local Ocean Conservation, through which we raise awareness of turtle conservation through educational opportunities, observation of nesting sites (where possible), and the protection of the animals from poachers and environmental threats. The collected plastic waste is not simply disposed of: We carefully sort and weigh it, thanks to our collaboration with EcoWorld Recycling in Watamu. Women from the community can bring their recyclable plastic waste to us and receive a small financial reward. This is an important step towards ecological and economic participation. In addition to direct nature conservation, we focus on knowledge transfer and collaborative learning: At all events, experts explain ecological connections, the impact of plastic on marine life, and the importance of sustainable action in everyday life. As a token of appreciation, each participant receives a food package for their family, sufficient for several days. In this way, we combine education, environmental and climate protection with concrete help for everyday life. Our goal: to preserve nature, raise awareness—and build a community of solidarity that works together for a future worth living.

Our community is diverse – and open to everyone. It consists of the children who attend our school and their families. Of mothers, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who work daily to ensure the well-being of our youngest children – often under the most difficult conditions. But also of people who come from far away because they lack support in their local area. Our community also includes our employees, volunteers, partner organizations, and supporters. Everyone who gets involved, helps, or needs help – they all belong. We see our project as an open place of solidarity, where background, income, or social status are irrelevant. Those who are hungry will be fed. Those who want to learn will be supported. Those who want to help are needed. That's why we regularly hold feeding programs where not only our students, but also their families and other people in need receive a warm, nutritious meal and something to drink. New Roots means more than school or medical care – it means community. A community where everyone counts and everyone is welcome.

The UN WASH program stands for the global improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene standards. Its goal is to provide everyone with access to clean drinking water, safe toilet facilities, and basic hygiene education – crucial prerequisites for health, dignity, and social participation. At New Roots, we consistently align ourselves with these international standards. We ensure that our community has access to clean water, uses safe and hygienic sanitation facilities, and is informed about important hygiene topics. This holistic approach plays a significant role in preventing disease, improving well-being, and providing a healthy livelihood for children and adults. Through our commitment to WASH, we are laying an important foundation for sustainable development and improving the quality of life in our community.

The challenges that people in Kenya and many other parts of the world face every day are immense: poverty, war, hunger, disease, lack of education. But the potential is just as great if we address them with respect, energy, and genuine participation. With our project, we take responsibility – together with the local people and everyone who supports us. We create spaces for education, medical care, nutrition, and environmental protection. We listen, strengthen from within, and act for the long term. A central component of our approach is that the team in Kenya is led entirely by Kenyans. They share operational responsibility, make decisions, and shape the project according to the needs and values of the local community. We in Germany don't see ourselves as "helpers from outside," but as equal partners. We expressly distance ourselves from any form of so-called white saviorism. Our work is not based on the principle of speaking or acting for others – but on working with people, empowering them, and jointly creating structures that can work and grow from within the community. Despite our different origins, languages, and cultural backgrounds, we work as one team – with mutual respect, a willingness to learn, and the shared goal of enabling sustainable change. It's not about providing short-term assistance – it's about creating real prospects. For children who can go to school. For women who become economically independent. For families who have access to medical care. And for a natural world that is protected, not exploited. We believe that hope is not something that should be left to chance. It arises where people come together, share responsibility, and believe in a common future. New Roots is more than a project. It is a growing promise for dignity, change, and global justice.