Our Programs

Seven Pathways to Community Resilience

Each program is designed around what communities tell us they need — combining immediate support with long-term opportunity.

Cash Transfers Financial Inclusion Livelihoods Climate Justice Market Linkages Community Governance Kundi Platform
Program 1

Unconditional Cash Transfers

We provide direct cash to families and individuals with no strings attached. No conditions. No prescriptions. Full trust in community members to determine their own priorities.

Research consistently shows unconditional cash transfers are among the most effective forms of economic development. Recipients invest in health, education, business, and housing — making choices that compound over time.

  • Monthly transfers ranging from $25–$150 per household
  • 6–24 month program cycles with ongoing evaluation
  • Mobile money delivery for security and accessibility
  • Community-selected recipients through participatory processes
  • No income reporting or spending restrictions
"When you give people cash directly, you give them the respect to make their own decisions."
— Paul Niehaus, GiveDirectly Co-founder
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Community members in a cash transfer programme, East Africa
Program 2

Financial Literacy & Inclusion

Over 400 million Africans remain unbanked. We bridge that gap with practical financial literacy programs, mobile money onboarding, savings group facilitation, and access to inclusive financial products.

Our programs don't just teach theory — they connect communities to real financial services and savings infrastructure they can use immediately.

  • Mobile money setup and digital financial skills
  • Community savings circles (VSLAs) and cooperatives
  • Basic budgeting, credit, and investment literacy
  • Connection to microfinance and formal banking
  • Women-focused financial access programs
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Mobile money and financial services, Africa
Program 3

Livelihood Diversification

Economic resilience comes from multiple income streams. We support communities in building diversified livelihoods that protect against shocks — from climate disruption to market volatility.

From small business support to agricultural diversification, our programs help individuals move beyond single-income dependency toward sustainable economic participation.

  • Small business start-up grants and mentorship
  • Agricultural diversification and input support
  • Vocational and skills training aligned with local economies
  • Peer learning networks and community enterprise hubs
  • Pathways from subsistence to sustained income growth
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OotuFund community livelihood programme members gathered in Laikipia, Kenya
Program 4

Climate Justice & Resilience

Communities across Africa are on the front lines of a climate crisis they did not create. We work with the most climate-vulnerable populations to build adaptive capacity, reduce exposure, and access climate finance.

Our climate resilience programs combine practical adaptation strategies with advocacy for fair climate finance distribution.

  • Climate-adaptive farming techniques and water harvesting
  • Clean energy access (solar, biogas) for households
  • Disaster preparedness and community early warning systems
  • Advocacy for equitable climate finance
  • Environmental restoration and tree-planting initiatives
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Climate resilience and clean energy, Africa
Program 5

Market Linkages

Earning an income is only part of the story. Accessing markets — and accessing them fairly — determines whether that income grows or stagnates. We connect communities to the buyers, trade networks, and value chains they need to move from subsistence to sustainable economic participation.

Our market linkages work bridges the gap between local production and broader economic opportunity, so that community members can sell at fair prices, access reliable buyers, and build enterprises that last.

  • Connecting farmers and producers to local and regional markets
  • Supporting agricultural, trade, and microenterprise value chains
  • Improving access to buyers and fair, transparent pricing
  • Strengthening market participation and commercial resilience
  • Enabling income growth that goes beyond subsistence
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Community market and trade activities, Africa
Program 6

Community Governance

Real development is not done to communities — it is done by them. We invest in participatory decision-making structures, local leadership, and accountability systems that ensure programs reflect genuine community priorities and remain under community control.

  • Participatory planning and community-led needs assessments
  • Local leadership training in governance and accountability
  • Inclusive structures that centre women, youth, and marginalized groups
  • Community ownership of resources, data, and program outcomes
  • Transparency mechanisms that build trust and reduce elite capture
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Community governance and participatory decision-making, Africa
Program 7 — Innovation

Kundi: The Platform

Kundi is OotuFund's proprietary digital platform — named after the Swahili word for "group" or "community" — built to manage the full lifecycle of cash transfer programmes, from the moment a community member is enrolled to the second a transfer lands on their phone. Where most organisations stitch together separate tools for data collection, payments, and reporting, Kundi unifies all of these into a single, accountable system designed specifically for the Kenyan and East African context.

  • Full lifecycle management from beneficiary registration to M-Pesa disbursement
  • Secure beneficiary registry with SMS transfer confirmation on every payment
  • FPIC, consent management, and structured programme activity documentation
  • Role-based dashboards for funders, researchers, and community partners
  • Unbroken audit trail from donor to individual recipient
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Support the Work That Works

Cash transfers backed by financial inclusion, market access, and community governance create compounding impact. Your donation funds all seven pathways.

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