Friends for Matibi envisions a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable community in Matibi where all individuals have access to essential resources, opportunities, and a supportive network. We are dedicated to fostering unity, empowerment, and holistic development, creating a brighter future for Matibi and its people.

Our values

• Be reliable
• Be honest
• Plan long-term
• Invest sustainably
• Be inspiring
• Build structures
• Help when needed

Our mission

Empowering the Matibi people, changing lives to create an independent and self-sustaining community. With our direct support, we aim to lay a foundation from which the local population around Matibi can sustain their current livelihoods and improve themselves independently in the future.

Our Holistic Support for Sustainable Progress in Matibi’s Community

We believe that sustainable progress is dependent on multiple factors like education, water, regeneration, nature, health. The complexity of community development needs a multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, we are trying to balance several pillars.

• Education: We are operating a self-learning center called Nook. It is a school without teachers, where the passion of imagination of the learners is at the very heart of learning. We provide scholarships, school supplies, and educational resources to empower children in Matibi to reach their full potential. Alternative education is the foundation for a brighter future.
• Health: Our healthcare initiatives include supporting the Matibi Mission hospital, revival of surgery at Matibi, health awareness campaigns, and support for local clinics. We believe that good health is essential for individuals and the community to thrive.
• Food: We work towards ensuring food security through sustainable agriculture practices, community gardens, and nutrition programs. Nourishing the community ensures their well-being and vitality.
• Income: We empower the community by supporting income-generating activities, vocational training, and entrepreneurship. Economic stability enables families to break the cycle of poverty.
• Environment: The permaculture activities are meant to regenerate the soil and introduce new ways of water management. This is necessary because due to climate change the rainy season is much shorter than before. We also invest in green power by putting solar power installation on the community’s roof in exchange on cattle which is better fed through the permaculture activities and then are sold in the locally-led butchery we will open to circle the money back to the community. Humans are nature, if nature is ill, we are ill too.

The Nook

The heart of our approach is «The Nook,» a community center that brings all these pillars together. It serves as a hub for education, healthcare services, agricultural training, and economic empowerment initiatives. The Nook fosters collaboration, unity, and the exchange of knowledge, creating a thriving community.