Community Transformation: Virtues Project in Kenya

Virtues Work for People, our Community-Based Organization, in collaboration with Bostol Schools, at the Prisons Department in Kakamega County, has begun implementation of a transformative youth rehabilitation project. The initiative targets both boys and girls who dropped out of school due to poverty, early marriages, early pregnancies, and substance abuse. The project provides a holistic approach through rehabilitation, guidance and counseling, virtues training, and skills development. The aim is to help these young people reclaim their lives and reintegrate into society as responsible and self-reliant individuals.

1.  Rehabilitation and Counseling
Youths are taken through individualized and group counseling sessions to address trauma, substance dependency, and the emotional effects of early pregnancies and forced marriages.
2. Virtues Training
A key component of the project is implementing The Virtues Project education program to identify and strengthen their inner gifts of character: responsibility, honesty, self-discipline, respect, perseverance, and more.  Awakening and strengthening these gifts will guide their personal transformation.

Event Highlight – August 9, 2025
A major virtues training event for youth was held at Ikonyero Adult and Continuing Education Center, facilitated by two Master Facilitators of The Virtues Project, Geoffrey Ashiono and Bibiana Andabwa.  A Guest Speaker, Mrs. Hannah Ichingwa, Sub-County Director of Adult and Continuing Education,  Kakamega Central/Lurambi, encouraged the youth to remain committed to education and personal growth.

The youth formed a virtues club, the Trustworthiness Virtues Youth Club, to promote
ongoing peer support and accountability. They have created a strong peer support network, encouraging continued growth and positive behavior. A visible shift in personal discipline, integrity, and ambition is evident among the participants.

Beneficiaries have resumed formal learning.  Several are now enrolled in education programs, completing their secondary education through adult and continuing education programs.

These youth are also undergoing vocational training in trades such as:

• Carpentry
• Hairdressing
• Mechanics
• Tailoring 

These skills enhance their employability and economic independence. Many are actively engaging in income-generating activities that utilize their vocational skills.

Dozens of youths have returned home and reconciled with their families.

The partnership between Virtues Work for People CBO, Bostol Schools, and the Adult and Continuing Education Department has provided a second chance to youth who were previously forgotten or written off by society. Through virtues training, academic education, and skills training, these young individuals are transforming their lives and becoming beacons of hope in their communities.  We thank you for your continued support in sharing our reports and for your generosity in giving to our project.

With heartfelt gratitude, we share this update from Virtues Work for People, a community-based organization (CBO) in Kakamega County, Kenya, dedicated to transforming lives through character education and virtues-based community development. Inspired by the Five Strategies of The Virtues Project—Speak the Language, Recognize Teachable Moments, Set Clear Boundaries, Honor the Spirit, and Offer Companioning—we continue to nurture integrity, compassion, and shared responsibility in schools, communities, and institutions.

Your generous support has made it possible to bring virtues education to classrooms, justice institutions, self-help groups, and vulnerable populations. Because of you, this grassroots movement has grown deeper roots and wider branches. Your giving is not just financial—it is a daily act of hope that empowers communities to reclaim dignity, peace, and purpose.

• 11 schools trained in virtues education, with over 150 teachers and administrators now modeling and teaching values to learners.
• 190+ members of women’s, widows’, and youth self-help groups equipped with virtues tools and life skills, resulting in 18+ community projects including poultry farming, goat rearing, tree planting, catering, and financial empowerment.
• 90+ officers in the police, prison, and judiciary sectors trained to lead with ethical conduct, compassion, and accountability.
• 34 youth empowered through tailored training to build self-confidence, resilience, and purpose.
• Certified new facilitators ready to carry the torch and expand the work across the region.

These efforts are not abstract. They are daily conversations in classrooms. They are peaceful resolutions instead of conflict. They are women forming cooperative businesses and youth discovering their worth.

We are preparing to train over 750 people across Kakamega County in this last half of 2025 :

• 200 boys at Shikusa Borstal Institution
• 60 prison officers
• 120 teachers in 5 different locations
• 200 youth and community leaders
• 50 adult learners
• 85 self-help group members
• A second round of training for police and mediators

These sessions will cultivate core virtues like respect, responsibility, perseverance, and unity. But to realize this vision fully, we need your help once again.

To complete these 10 scheduled trainings and reach more corners of our community, we are seeking to raise $6,000 USD. This funding will cover training materials, transport, facilitation, meals for participants, and coordination logistics.

If your heart resonates with the power of virtues to heal and build communities, we invite you to make another gift today. Every dollar is a seed of transformation—and we have already seen how beautifully these seeds can grow.

Please give today and help us bring this next phase of training to life.

With deep appreciation and renewed commitment,
The Virtues Work for People Team – Kakamega, Kenya