Strengthening capacity for self-help
About Help Self Help Centre (HSHC)
Help Self Help Centre (HSHC) is a national development agency, registered in Kenya (1993), working with thousands of communities to end poverty and environmental degradation. We take a rights-based approach and market-led conservation approach to ensure an all-inclusive, equal, benefit sharing and conservation of the natural resources.
We believe people living in poverty can lead the fight to end poverty therefore we look into local knowledge on indigenous resources, what people are doing and then help them to sustainably manage and bring business solutions. Through technology we enable underprivileged communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions – transforming their lives and protecting the environment.
Our work seeks to create and sustain better livelihoods through capacity development, access to technology, financial and business development services, linkage to the markets and holding the government accountable to the needs of the disadvantaged.
Though a non- profit, we are dedicated to ending extreme poverty by following a social enterprise approach to development, working in partnership with other like-minded organizations and individuals to bring real change to the poor. We help grow strong business cases that create income, jobs and wealth in poor communities.
A society without poverty and where every person enjoys their right to unrestricted access to productive resources
To work with poor and excluded people to eradicate poverty and environmental concerns through sustainable management of natural resources
To facilitate the local community living around forests to effectively and viably manage existing opportunities in agricultural and nature based unique resources to support sustainable livelihoods
Our Approach
We work on just fighting against poverty – but working for long lasting solutions to poverty and environmental degradation. We take a rights-based approach and market-led conservation approach to ensure all-inclusiveness, equality, fair benefit sharing and conservation of the natural resources.
We believe people living in poverty can lead the fight to end poverty. We help people use their own knowledge and resources to fight poverty and bring transformation in household, families and communities. We use simple innovations and business solutions to challenge poverty and environmental degradation. We find out about local knowledge on indigenous resources, what people are doing and help them to sustainably manage and bring business solutions.
Through technology we enable poor communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions – transforming their lives and protecting the environment. Though a non- profit, we are dedicated to ending the extreme poverty by following a social enterprise approach to development, working in partnership with other like-minded organizations and individuals to bring real change to the poor. We help grow strong business cases that create income, jobs and wealth in poor communities. We particularly help women and youth.
Our Values
Where we work
We work with forest adjacent communities in Mount Kenya region specifically Nyeri and Laikipia. The Nature Based Enterprise Program also works in Meru, and Tharaka-nithi counties.
We have offices in Mount Kenya region (Nyeri, Laikipia) with responsibility for coordinating programs, finances, management, and knowledge sharing and fundraising.
