Educate Local Leaders for Community Development

Thanks to your continued support, GRACE Cares made measurable progress in 2025 and we have the numbers to back up our impact. GRACE Cares is a lean operating model directing 90% of expenditures to programs. As you will read below, your donations supported practical, community-led interventions that are producing real results.

Kenya – Watha Project 

IIn 2025, Watha delivered 9 WASH workshops across 6 villages, training 556 community members (211 men and 345 women) in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. The project also distributed 10 beehives and supported small-scale irrigation efforts, resulting in reported agricultural outputs of 19 maize yields and 17 crates of tomatoes. These activities combined health education with income-generating support, reinforcing long-term sustainability.

Guatemala – GuateBuena Association ‍  

GRACE Cares is proud to support the GuateBuena Association’s economic empowerment and financial literacy programs. In 2025, community banks supported by GuateBuena reported $185,583 in savings, $47,978 in profits, and $1,198 in social funds, while capacity-building activities reached 350+ families. The COFOCOPI cooperative reported 14 members, $23,000 in savings, and $4,000 in profits. GuateBuena also supported 80+ women artisans through the Ixoqi program, resulting in the sale of 21,000 hats, and facilitated the installation of 140 efficient cookstoves, benefiting 140 families through improved household safety and fuel efficiency.

Zambia – YOCUPA   

In Zambia, GRACE Cares supported YOCUPA’s youth-led theatre and training initiatives addressing child abuse, gender-based violence, and social behavior change. 22 young artists were trained and engaged in a national theatre production, reaching approximately 300 audience members at its premiere and 600 students at Matero Girls Secondary School. YOCUPA also trained 30 district-level stakeholders and 32 local artists in Theatre for Community Action, followed by a community test performance that reached approximately 500 community members.

Dominican Republic – Project Hearts 

In the Dominican Republic, the Youth Empowerment Program served 114 youth, with 82% attending all nine sessions and 95% completing the program. Six participants received educational aid, and three secured scholarships. Community learning activities reached 565 adults, teens, and children, including 172 youth in school-based workshops and 137 participants receiving health education led by Community Health Leader (CHL) trainees. Additionally, Project Hearts expanded clean water access to 335 people through 101 household water tanks, with 90% of associated micro-loans on track or repaid, supporting ongoing impact beyond the initial investment.

Zambia – MYEP 

In Zambia, GRACE Cares’ parner MYEP focused on literacy and school engagement. In 2025, the Books on Wheels initiative delivered 42 reading sessions, engaging 1,680 pupils (775 boys and 915 girls), and schools reported a 25% increase in pupil attendance. MYEP also established 2 Nutrition Clubs, assigned 1 nutrition officer, and partnered with 2 hospitals, strengthening the link between education and child health services.

Looking Ahead

These results reflect GRACE Cares’ commitment to locally led development, where modest investments in training and education enable communities to design and sustain their own solutions. As we move forward, your support will allow us to continue strengthening leadership, expanding access to knowledge, and building systems that create lasting change.

Thank you for believing in community-driven impact and for helping ensure that your donations are put to meaningful use.

Warmly,
The GRACE Cares Team

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GRACE Cares GlobalGiving Report: Educate Local Leaders for Community Development - #59931

Educating and Empowering Local Leaders Around the World

From Kenya’s coast to the mountains of Guatemala, GRACE Cares partners have continued to strengthen their communities through education, creativity, and leadership. This past half-year has been defined by growth: in food security, women’s entrepreneurship, youth engagement, and health education. Thanks to your support, these local leaders are turning knowledge into action and building systems that last.

Kenya: Food Security, Women’s Enterprise, and Clean Water

In Kilifi County, Kenya, the Watha Project, led by Jefferson Guyo is expanding its reach and impact. On three acres of farmland, the women’s cooperative has harvested maize and tomatoes, with sukuma wiki (collard greens) and spinach close behind. These crops are directly feeding families while generating small but steady income to reinvest in seeds, fertilizer, and tools.

The group has also launched a beekeeping initiative with ten hives. Seven are already active, and the community expects its first honey harvest in the next three to four months. Two bottles of honey from each hive will be kept locally to promote the project, while the rest will be sold to a committed buyer already identified, creating a sustainable revenue stream for the women involved.

In September, GRACE Cares connected the Watha Project with Aqua Clara and CAWST to expand impact through water and hygiene education. Together, they are planning a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) program that will train up to thirty participants from Watha’s team and the broader community. The training will combine safe-water practices, social behavior change strategies, and pre- and post-training assessments to measure community impact.

Zambia: Youth Voices for Climate and Gender Justice

In Zambia, the Youth Cultural Promotion Association (YOCUPA) continues to prove that art can be a catalyst for social transformation. Their original play, House of Glass; House of War, reached more than 5,000 people through live performances and online streaming. Written and performed by youth, the play tackles gender-based violence, environmental degradation, and peacebuilding, blending performance with community discussion.

The debut drew over 1,000 in-person attendees: 300 at the dress rehearsal, 125 at the premiere, and over 500 virtual viewers, and sparked press coverage across Lusaka. Following its success, YOCUPA was invited by Zambia’s Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Arts to perform at the Kwimbo National Arts Festival, bringing their message to a national audience and positioning youth as active change-makers in their communities.

Dominican Republic: Building Health Leaders in Baitoa

In the Dominican Republic, Project Hearts launched its twelfth Community Health Leadership cohort. Eight participants, including two men, are completing a ten-session training that covers reproductive health, nutrition, disease prevention, and leadership development. Each trainee will mentor additional households, expanding their reach.

The program continues to fill critical knowledge gaps in local healthcare. One participant shared that despite working at a pharmacy, she had never received clear education on menstrual health until joining the course. By equipping these leaders with accurate information and teaching tools, Project Hearts is building a more informed and resilient community.

Guatemala: Women’s Cooperatives Leading Change

In rural Guatemala, the GuateBuena Association has been strengthening women’s cooperatives focused on both income generation and emotional wellness. Sixty women recently participated in a Menstrual Health and Emotional Wellness Workshop, creating a safe space to discuss reproductive health, self-care, and mental wellbeing.

Through the Ixoqi Project, the cooperative’s artisan hat-making initiative continues to grow. Revenue from these handmade products recently enabled members to purchase a shared meeting house, which now serves as a space for workshops, financial training, and collective planning. This is a milestone for the group—a tangible symbol of independence and shared ownership.

Investing in Local Leadership Professional Development

In September, two GRACE Cares partners, Jefferson Guyo (Watha Project) and Dr. Beck Banda (YOCUPA), completed Emotional CPR (eCPR) training in Nairobi. The course emphasized deep listening, empathy, and emotional support, giving both leaders practical tools to strengthen communication and trust within their teams. This kind of professional development ensures that community leaders are not only managing programs, but also mentoring others to sustain them long after initial support ends.

Closing Remarks

Across all GRACE Cares projects, the results are clear and measurable. Since 2024, your contributions have helped reach over 5,500 people across five countries through clean water initiatives, youth education, health training, and women’s entrepreneurship programs.

Behind each number is a story: a woman harvesting her first crop, a youth actor advocating for peace, a health leader teaching neighbors about disease prevention. These are not isolated projects; they are part of a growing network of community-led initiatives that are redefining what grassroots development looks like.

As we approach Giving Tuesday, we invite you to stay connected, share our stories, and continue supporting the local leaders who are shaping stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities every day.

Thank you for being part of the GRACE Cares family.

GRACE Cares

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