HARAMBEE NFP

One person can make a difference in the lives of others. Dr. Kathleen Harrison has definitely made a difference in the lives of the people in Kenya and surrounding areas. What began as a trip to take medical students to Africa has now developed into Harambee NFP. The motto, “Not a hand out, but a hand up”, is evident in the programs Harambee encompasses. People are taught craft making, beekeeping, how to raise chickens, pigs, and goats and more. They then pay it forward by sharing with others in their community. The Grow a Doc and Grow a Nurse programs provide for the education and training for women and men to become medical professionals who then give medical care in their communities. These are just some of the programs that Harambee supports. Keen pays for her own travel expenses to and from Africa and 100% of the profits go to the people and the programs.

I am happy to reconfirm Dr. Kathleen Harrison and Harambee for GreatNonprofits. I met her 15 years ago and have seen her endeavors develop. She has boundless energy and has been able to clearly state the needs of the folks she has served.
I have been especially interested in her work with women and children—encouraging entrepreneurship and sharing beautiful crafts, their culture, their thirst for professional education to reach self-sufficiency.
Dr. Harrison has worked as a true ambassador—uniting people in the USA with folks in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Zambia, truly using her talents and energy for the good of others.
I started my adult life 60 year ago answering the call to volunteer and spent 2 years in the mountains of Peru, then using what I had learned as an ABE/ESL teacher and counselor with City Colleges of Chicago, morphing into social justice advocacy and ministry later in life. Working with people whose needs and culture were different from mine has been a real gift—and I feel that Dr. Harrison has learned those lessons well.
Madonna Leen, M.A.

I have known Kathleen Harrison and volunteered with Harambee for well over 10 years. She initially founded Harambee to respond to the needs of the poor women and children in Africa affected by HIV. Throughout the years, Harambee has remained committed to Kathleen's initial vision of providing help and hope, even as its many creative programs have expanded to a number of African nations. Harambee offers Grow a Doc and Grow a Nurse scholarships that bring improved health care to rural communities. The Animals for Africa program offers dairy goats, chickens, honeybees and pigs to increase nutrition and provide financial stability to families and communities alike. Harambee also encourages and supports small groups of artisans in marketing their items to provide for their families.
Kathleen eagerly invites others to join in her work and maintains the highest ethical standards and strict financial oversight to ensure that all donations directly benefit the poor. I am honored to support Harambee in their ongoing work and to invite others to share their mission.

It has been a great privilege working with Project Harambee as a board member. I have witnessed first hand the impact that Project Harambee continues to have in the lives of the most vulnerable women, youth and children In Kenya. Project Harambee works with impoverished communities to identify their strengths and the resources they have that would help them to pull together in order to drive the desired development. Project Harambee uses the hand up approach to achieve sustainable development as opposed to handouts. The Grow A Doc and Grow A Nurse are just but some of the life changing education programs that Project Harambee runs. More recently, Harambee has been in the frontline in response to the devastating effects of Covid-19 pandemic by providing some of the most essential supplies that are aimed at protecting the most vulnerable groups from the possibility of contracting or spreading the virus further in pursuit of basic needs.

Keep changing lives Project Harambee!

My first experience with Harambee was as a volunteer on a trip to Nairobi as part of a university program and seminar. To witness the work of this organization up-close and personal was phenomenal. To work with the women, to meet the artists and interact with them was a once in a life time experience. Then to meet the Grow A Doc students and talk with them and see their enthusiasm for learning was incredible. All of the students, women and artists were very appreciative of our presence and support. I was honored to participate on site in Kenya and to purchase products over the years and to have Harambee participate in my churches fair, where we sold many of the products to support Harambee and their commitment to help African families and children.

We have partnered with Harambee NFP for the last 15 years, to empower and bring transformation to women and children, families impacted by HIV and AIDS in Naivasha, Kenya. Harambee project has been funding our income generating projects such as dairy goats, chicken, beehives for nutritional supplements for the families and economic empowerment so as to alleviate poverty and disease. Through the project's "Grow a Doc" program we have been able to educate orphaned poor children to realize their dreams of becoming medical personnel and give back to society. Harambee NFP is a great project and uses the funds to bring hope, love and care to the suffering, putting a smile on their faces! I admire Prof. Keen and John for their passion and commitment in this noble cause that takes a lot of sacrifice to travel across Africa touching lives! Long live Harambee NFP.

From Waithira Gitu, Kawangware, Kenya:
Throughout the years Project Harambee has been a great help to the most vulnerble communities, & most recently, helping those affected by covid19 pandemic in various ways. One of the most touching moments is when the Project gave food and other basic supplies e.g.masks, soaps and sanitary towels to those unable to go out to work & school.
Not only that they have supported individual and group businesses such as Mirror of Hope, Creative lifecrafts. For example Creative group has benefited with a sewing machine for making masks and other items.
In addition to that the groups benefits in selling their wares through Project Harambee.

Project Harambee is an irganuzation that empowers communities in Kenya and other African countries to become self suffucient through well designed programs managed by residents, not outsiders. The Grow A Doc program assists deserving young people to achieve a medical career to help their communities. Efficient and amazing!

When a brilliant, compassionate mind selflessly creates brilliant opportunities human suffering is lessened, human potential is maximized and the fate of the disadvantaged is forever changed for the better. This describes the “Harambee-effect” as testified by those who have been touched by it. And Dr. Keen is the brilliant mind behind it.
Keen and I have been friends since we were 14 year old freshmen in high school. I have seen her Harambee dream unfold over the years to become the far reaching game changer on the African people that it is today. As a helper with fund-raising efforts and a financial contributor to support Harambee, I whole-heartedly support its vision and its mission. With Dr. Keen’s high level of transparency and accountability via in person visits to her projects in Africa and her newsletter updates, there is no doubt in my mind every penny is working as it should.

Hi Kathleen, thank you for remembering members of thika primary school for the blind community, everybody is keeping safe,once again I would like to appreciate your concern about veronica wandia and Patrick Mutisya whom you brought back to school, they are fine and doing well. Your donation of musical instruments including keyboard have really improved their musical skills, you also donated 15chairs to the school and a slate and stiller for the two children.the talking watches were highly appreciated by the learners.if you get more watches, chairs and set drums will really assist the blind learners. God bless you and your family and Deborah's family ,,hoping to meet you soon.John thika school for the blind

Project Harambee NFP has been so instrumental in eradication of poverty, ignorance and disease in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Through the NGO's multipronged approach, supporting medical education and community-based organizations, it's impact is profoundly admirable. I'm a true testimony of what Harambee does in Africa, having been raised from a poor background and having had my higher education financed by the NGO, leading to my qualification as an MD.

Project Harambee NFP does many things. What I find most impressive is that it provides support for Kenyan students seeking to become doctors and nurses. Promoting health in this local, on the ground way is a great strategy, and Dr. Keen Harrison, who is the director of Harambee, makes one or two trips to Kenya each year. She knows the people Harambee is supporting, she knows what their issues and needs are, and she works hard to make it work.
Project Harambee is a great effort, and I am proud to count Dr. Harrison as my friend. I also am a long-time friend with her husband, John McNulty, who also works on the project and joins Dr. Harrison on her trips to Kenya. John and I were professors of Anatomy at Loyola University Chicago's medical school.

I am Festus Muthui Muema BSc Nurse from University of Nairobi-Kenya and beneficiary of an American NGO( Project Harambee NFP) ,they educated me in my entire Nursing in top most and most expensive University in Kenya.

I am a Founder and Director of Donkey Elimu Project SHG. The SHG upgraded to Hope For Neglected (HFN)- CBO with all these milestones using funds and other support from Project Harambee. we show hope and love to the People living with disabilities (PLWDs) , Youth,women and needy eldery.

we do this by creating job opportunities to eradicate poverty and reduce unemployment crisis and promote education and support youth and women empowerment activities.

The NGO has supported us with so many things that may not fit here. we started with 9 donkeys, 2 animal pulled carts, plough machine, yoke and chain. such items helped youth and women in Kenya create jobs by doing transportation jobs and farming. They pocket 50% of the money collected while 20% would be used for educating their needy children.

Today the same exists now as a department in our CBO. we latter added group of 63 PLWDs who have benefited with wheelchairs and crutches.

On 10th August 2020 we are now starting Textile industry with sewing machines donated by the NGO to sew face masks and help fight Covid 19 in the community.

We have also feeding program that feeds and provides face masks to the 63 PLWDs, 45 needy eldery and 50+ community women digging and forming community roads to the neglected areas.

We have another department called Magical Weaver's of Kenya that does weaving nice baskets using local saisal and synthetic threads and other plants thread.

We may not list everything but selected few images may communicate more.

Project Harambee has sponsored and educated so many needy medical students in Africa- Kenya,Ethiopia,Zambia,Rwanda and Burundi and I justify because I led them as chair of Young Healthcare Association of Kenya (YHPAK).

The Director Kathleen Harrison has taken us places and deeper to the community and learned charity work we would not have learned. She and her husband Prof. John and Assistant Director Deborah Davis and the African BOM rep Mr.Nyawir, have made me know a very big number of people living with Disabilities in my community that I did not know since childhood. They just gave a circling wheelchair to my neighbour with paralyzed body (John) who waited for government help almost 15 years.

Such are the actions that motivate me daily in my CBO and feel working day and night to save the community for it is the only church Jesus would leave to us. No satisfaction better than donating and sharing to less fortunate. For instance in our community you have mother and child left at home and both are disabled with no income not family! Another scenario is a mother who hustles cleaning cloth jobs in families and stoped by Covid and has a disabled child. such character ignite my heart and feel like waking up in the mid night to work for them.

In short, I have a good experience with Harambee and their visits to children's homes, children living with HIV/AIDS,women they give goats,chicken and communities they give beehives and support trading of harvesting honey, medicals they supported me to hold on my counties as chair of students, taking students to trips for animal shows, Thika school of blind, visiting and giving palliative nursing care to oncology children wards and visiting old age centres.

I wanted to study masters in Public Health and policy but people living with disabilities have changed my mind to look for scholarship to study masters of Good public governance and policy so that my neglected PLWDs,youth and women feel represented.

If it were not Project Harambee I would remain nothing or be a business male nurse with only hospital experience.

Thank you to entire Harambee for giving my family, community and Kenya a reliable asset that I believe I can. I can't forget my wedding support from you.

Project Harambee has a long-standing reputation for the excellent work in various countries in Africa addressing the needs of the disadvantaged to improve their lives through targeted programs like education and micro-economics (a hand-up; not a hand out). All of the programs are designed to lift those affected out of poverty. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, donor funds have been re-directed to also help feed those who have lost jobs and are confined to their homes. This flexibility of focus speaks volumes to the overall goal to help those most in need.

Project Harambee lives by its name— “all come together” - especially during this time of medical and economic concerns. They continue to build a capacity in Kenya by sponsoring students to attend medical school. Many of their sponsored students are on the front line in the fight against Covid19.
They have also been able to work in Kenya, Ethiopia and Zambia to provide opportunities to help those most in need during the pandemic. Some of ways are to provide capital to open small business projects which will offer a sustainable income. There are also times when the most immediate needs must be met and food is being distributed.
This organization works hard to meet the needs of others and help them to know that we are all in this together.
They should be a top-rated nonprofit every year!!!

Harambee has been a godsend to extremely low-income students in Nairobi, funding their education in medical professions. The organization goes above and beyond to address all barriers for these young ambitious students and cares for them personally. Harambee also support women entrepreneurs in several African countries, funds medical clinics in rural areas, sends supplies for many organizations, provides goats so that families have a source of income with an expectation that these families help others - all on a shoestring budget. The Founders visit frequently to maintain personal contacts and have their pulse on what is needed. All funds go directly to people in need.

Harambee is precisely the type of nonprofit that deserves unqualified support because it is run TRANSPARENTLY by a small group whom the donors can get to know directly. Donations are not getting spent on marketing and heavy administration costs, which is the case with so many large nonprofits. I've known about Harambee since ten years ago when I went on a field trip to Africa with executive director Dr. Kathleen Harrison and saw the operations up close and met many of Harambee's partners and recipients. It was an unforgettable trip that thought me how powerfully small groups of dedicated and focused volunteers and professionals can affect countless lives and do amazing work with limited budgets. I hope someday I can take my wife on a similar trip. In the years since that trip, I've marveled at the followup reports from Dr. Harrison on how donations were used. The reports are detailed and show obvious dedication. For example, for a gift last year to purchase a goat for a family, I received a video from Dr. Harrison showing her with the actual goat and the recipient family in Africa, announcing the gift. https://youtu.be/xvoySr0iEPM She was even holding the name we had picked for the goat printed out on paper. That shows remarkable planning and dedication on Harambee's part and makes me feel sorry that I have not been more involved all these years.

Keen Harrison has worked diligently for 15 years serving the poor and forgotten in Africa. She makes several trips to Africa each year at her own expense, where she has established various projects to help those in need. I have been privileged to hear her reports once or twice each year when she meets with the Womans’s Group, to which I belong. Here she shares her recent experiences of presenting goats, chickens, solar lamps and craft materials to families. With the contributions of donors who support her work monetarily, she has set up programs to “grow a doc” and “ grow a nurse” to train men and women to address the health needs of their communities. I like donating to her organization because I know that 100% of my donation goes to the people in Africa. Keen takes no salary and all her helpers are volunteers including her husband John. I also like the fact that I can donate in the name of a friend or family member and Keen presents them with a beautiful handmade card announcing the gift in their name. It’s a nice added touch to raise awareness. Visit www.projectharambee.org to find out the many other ways Keen is giving a “hand up” as she calls it, rather than a “hand out”

I have known Keen Harris for well over ten years now and I am continually amazed with her energy, creativity, and vision for her work in Africa. She is always ready to give the credit to those who she encounters in her ministry, the African people themselves. Haramabee's first work was enabling particularly women to developed businesses to help their families to become self sufficient. Keen would purchase crafts, necklaces, purse, religious items ect. and bring them back to the states. All the proceeds went back to the villages.
As an educator, Keen's organization began supporting children through High School. When those students were ready to graduate she began her Grow a Doc and then Grow a Nurse program where students who graduated from medical programs supported by Harambee would pledge to go back to their community to practice. This was not a difficult pledge to make since these students had a tremendous sense of community responsibility.
Every year when Keen has returned from an African visit, she comes back with a new vision of what could be done to encourage self identity. Realizing the if a little girl did get a doll to play with (which was rare), she started collecting Black dolls to give away on her next trip. These made the recipients face light with pure joy.
Last year we donated a goat for Keen's project and received the hilarious video of the goat being transported to her home village on the back cart of a motorcycle.

Harambee is one of those organizations that does so much with so little, based mostly on energy and determination and the strategic use of resources. They are making a huge difference in the lives of so many families in East Africa, giving young people a shot at medical training and families a way to support themselves through selling of goods and through gifts of chickens and goats.

I work for a non-profit that raises funds for a high school in Nairobi for children from Kibera slum whose lives have been impacted by AIDS. This is their only shot at an education. Harambee has been our partner for years providing funding for our graduates who want to go into medical fields, which requires more support than we are able to give. This has made all the difference in the lives of these students and provided much need medical professionals for rural and poor communities in Kenya.

Harambee's impact is great. They are great stewards of all gifts and they deserve as much support as possible!

What I like the most is that 100% of what I spend goes directly to the women Harambee serves. Kathleen travels on her own dime, bringing handmade items from women in Africa to be sold at churches here in the US. These African mothers aren't asking for hand-outs. They want to earn a living and support their children. "Keen" facilitates that. And the handmade jewelry, purses, Christmas ornaments and Nativities are exquisitely beautiful. And 100% of the money goes right back to those mothers.

What I love about Harambee NFP is that it is a real hands on charity. Kathleen Harrison goes to Africa several times a year to personally deliver donations, meet the people, share their stories in her emails/blogs, etc. You know that your donations are going directly to people to help them in their daily lives and not going into heavy overhead costs.
Mary C.

I traveled to Kenya, with Keen and Harambee, several years ago and spent almost a month, working on the different projects. I witnessed amazing things accomplished, on little more than a shoestring. I came home with an entirely changed world view and will never look at the world in the same way again. This organization, and its fearless leader, Keen Harrison, does great things with very little. I learned it doesn't take much to create a miracle, in someone's life. Power on.

I am inspired by the important work this organization does year round from training African doctors and nurses who otherwise could not afford their education to enabling the locals to help themselves and their families with donated livestock and sales of handmade goods. I personally know the founder and principle of this charity who works tirelessly (with an assist from the husband) on this cause. Be assured your donations go totally to your intended purpose. A more honest and dedicated person you will not find.

I am happy to support Harambee. This innovative program has helped many individuals in African communities to improve their health, education and finances. Their health is improved by providing medicines and Hiv-Aids Education. Harambee has supported 10 men and women in the Grow- a-Doc and Grow- a- Nurse programs pay for education for people who will serve their communities for years to come. Some member produce lovely crafts, jewelry, crafts, cards, and textiles which I have purchased. Goats, pigs, chickens, and bees are donated which provide food and income. The recipients are obliged to share offspring with their neighbors, making the benefits spread farther. Solar lamps help students study in the evening and solar ovens take noxious fumes out of homes. Keen and John visit twice yearly to maintain direct contact and stay in touch with donors via Facebook. 100% of donations go to help the people directly. I am confident that my donations are used to the fullest.

This is an amazing nonprofit. If you support Harambee, you can be sure that every penny goes to give "a hand up, not a hand out" to those who desperately need it. I was able to accompany Keen and John on a service trip where I witnessed first hand the life-changing impact their work has on the lives of others. From dairy goats to medical school tuition to solar lamps to school supplies, this nonprofit is changing the world.

Keen and team see the needs; through drive and creativity, and by direct actions with long results, they provide us more sedentary folk the opportunity to make a real difference . I am very happy and confident supporting Harambee's straightforward and varied programs, which are effective and all heart.

I am a proud supporter of Harambee NFP, which makes a profound difference in the lives of thousands of people in several African nations. The "Grow A Doc/Grow A Nurse" program has funded the medical education of 10 men and women who will serve their African communities and improve health for decades to come. Harambee also does good work in providing high-yield milk goats to families, shoes for those in need, and a market for local honey. Thanks to Keen and John and all those who contribute to this impactful NFP

Amazing what a yielded heart, a herculean work ethic and a dynamic personality can accomplish! Harambee is the love child of keen and John. Harambee is 100% effective! Harambee is 100% transparent! Harambee is 100% gift! Keen's creativity bonds with a entrepreneurial genius that calls forth miracle after miracle....GrowaDocs, goats named Tizzie, fair market crafts, hand-made cards that surpass Hallmark. efficiency that beats Heifer Int , and most important a deep personal connection that makes family of those
helped. Harambee is all heart! Harambee is all joy! I love Harambee...go to the July 2018 Progress Re;port.. and you will love Harambee NFP too!

Two things, or maybe three...!00% is used. Also, one has such a wide range of choices--goats, solar ovens, sponsoring a doctor or nurse to be, any dollar amount, helping a blind child " attend a special needs school, helping a person sell her goods, willing to give talks anywhere (well, maybe not Iceland) -- I guess I could go on and on--oh, and it is easy to pay online (I personally like "paypal. And Keen and John are always seeing another need.

It is great to know that 100% of donations go directly to the cause. The "Grow A Doc" program is the most innovative and effective program I have ever seen. Also, great to see photos of goats purchased!

Why do I support Project Harambee? Because it’s PERSONAL!
From the beginning, the tiny group of volunteers who staff Project Harambee have poured their hearts and souls into making positive changes in the lives Kenyans affected by HIV. With a strong emphasis on enhancing self-sufficiency, they taught women to produce marketable crafts that could provide them some income. (I’ve purchased beautiful work from their hands.) Their program to provide small livestock – chickens, pigs, honeybees, and goats – has given new income and greater food stability to countless families and village. (And I can NAME the goat I donate, and ‘meet’ the folks who receive it!) Providing solar lamps to help children study after dark, and solar stoves that take noxious fumes out of close-quarter living spaces are instant ‘win-wins’ for their recipients. But for me, their most exciting initiatives have been “Grow A Doc” and “Grow A Nurse”. These programs financially support the education and training needed by young women and men to become their country’s future medical professionals. It is so gratifying to follow their journeys as they progress through school. (I cheer them on, as if they were my own kids. They will change the world!)

Harambee NFP uses 100% of donations for the project and all work is done by volunteers. Volunteers also pay their travel expenses to Kenya.
Unlike most charities, Harambee, helps people to be self sufficient.
These, to me, are the two most important issues in judging the worthiness of a nonprofit.