By Anita Lintula, Finnish Project Manager, Mifuko Trust
Project monitoring trips are intense, educational, and inspiring. During just one week, I meet more people in person than I do over an entire year in Finland. It feels like I represent not only Mifuko Trust but also Finland. In addition to meetings, conversations, and interviews, I also handle project administration matters that are easiest to resolve face to face.
This year, I had special support and intensity with me, as my 7-year-old daughter joined the trip and was homeschooled while I worked. I'm happy to report that she was inspired by our work – and even tried her hand at weaving.
By the end of the trip, I usually feel a mix of accomplishment and unfinished business. But things are never fully complete in the field – the key is continuity. Monitoring visits also make remote work much smoother when I have seen the progress and challenges on the ground myself.
This blog post focuses on the WASH and Grow! II project, which will continue for another two years, until 2027.
Strong Community Commitment
My February 2025 trip once again highlighted how the project inspires women and women’s groups in many ways. Ecological sanitation, the community-led sanitation process (CLTS), agroforestry work, and menstrual hygiene improvement have all progressed excellently. Women and communities are strongly committed – and for that, we owe special thanks to our dedicated project staff Peter Manyolo and Jacinta Peter, as well as to the board and key members of Mifuko Women Development CBO.
Improving sanitation and hygiene has been one of our greatest achievements. The construction of ecological dry toilets and related training have increased awareness of sustainable solutions. Through the CLTS process, several villages have been officially declared open defecation free (ODF). In 2024 alone, the community-led sanitation process reached 3,276 households and 16,380 people in 24 villages.
To promote hygiene, communities have started producing their own handwashing stations and soap. These are used at home and also sold on a small scale, providing extra income and supporting local entrepreneurship.
One particularly encouraging development has been the launch of reusable menstrual pad production. The training has improved hygiene for girls and women while also creating new sources of income. For example, Celestine Ngila has already sold her first products and received positive feedback on their quality and comfort.
Forest Gardens Close to the Community’s Heart
In just two years, agroforestry work has taken off successfully. Both regional and women’s group nurseries have been established, and 41 agroforestry ambassadors have been trained in tree cultivation and environmental restoration. To address the challenges of dry seasons, communities have been actively seeking solutions such as mulching and carefully organized watering shifts in regional nurseries.
Over the past two years, women have planted 36,722 trees. Agroforestry ambassadors have been trained to monitor seedling survival using a mobile application. Women report that men are supporting forest garden work by digging holes for seedlings – and also by providing psychosocial support.
The final phase of the WASH and Grow! II project focuses on embedding the results deeply within the communities. MWD CBO, local groups, and Mifuko Trust are working closely together to ensure the long-term impact of the project.
A New Project Builds on a Strong Foundation
Our new project, Sowing Equality, which began in early 2025, promotes climate-smart agriculture and applies a gender-transformative approach. The WASH and Grow! project has provided a strong foundation for this next step.
Later this year, we’ll share updates from the Sowing Equality project here on the blog. Stay tuned!
