Reconnecting local communities in Kenya with healthy, nutritious plant-based living

Torch Initiatives partners with schools and communities across Kenya to promote plant-based eating rooted in local traditions. We support women and youth in growing food sustainably, improving nutrition, and nurturing care about the animals and the planet.

Woman presenting a colorful poster about vegetables to a girl at an outdoor educational event about plant-based nutrition, with banners and children watching.
A woman standing in front of a group of people seated at a table, giving a presentation on plant-based nutrition education. The seated individuals are eating plates of food, with papers and notebooks in front of them. There are colorful posters and whiteboards in the background.
Learn More About Us
Children in school uniforms sitting at desks in a classroom, some eating rice from plates, with shelves of papers and backpacks in the background.
Portrait of a smiling woman with short hair, glasses, and large earrings against an orange patterned background.

“We're building a kinder, healthier, and more sustainable future through plant-based living that celebrates African heritage. At Torch Initiatives, we work with communities to create meaningful change for people, animals, and the planet. We're growing a movement that will impact generations to come.”

Virginia Ruguru, Founder & Team Lead, Torch Initiatives

WHAT WE DO

Here's how we support communities across Kenya:

Group of school children and adults outdoors, some holding leafy greens, with educational posters and banners in the background.

School Outreach

We work with schools to promote plant-based education that connects health, compassion for animals, and environmental sustainability. We do so through workshops, classroom lessons, and cooking demonstrations.

We participate in the Thrive Africa Vegan School Lunch Campaign, an Africa-wide joint campaign organized by Thrive Africa and Thrive Philanthropy. We coordinate the campaign in Kenya, supporting schools in introducing plant-based meals and raising awareness about sustainable food choices.

See how the program works
Group of women in colorful dresses standing in a garden with young plants and trees.

Community Outreach

We support women and youth through vegetable gardening projects and skills training. These gardens strengthen food security, generate income, and bring indigenous vegetables back to local markets. We also run community events teaching plant-based cooking and sustainable living.

Get to know our community workshops
A woman embraces several puppies outdoors near a wooden structure with a metal gate, in a rural setting with green trees and grass.

Animal Welfare

We promote compassion for animals through education and work alongside sanctuaries like Nikki Cat Sanctuary in Watamu. As a trusted voice, we provide guidance on community engagement and awareness efforts that connect kindness to animals with sustainable living, helping communities reconnect with traditional African values.

Discover our animal welfare work
Two women standing outside near a signboard promoting Africa Vegan Restaurant Week, 2-8 September 2024. They are carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables on their heads. The woman on the left wears a white dress with colorful designs and has red hair, while the woman on the right wears a black dress and sunglasses. The background includes trees and a small wooden hut.

Africa Vegan Restaurant Week

We participate in Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week (AVRW), an Africa-wide campaign organized by Thrive Africa and Thrive Philanthropy to increase accessibility to plant-based options and raise awareness about sustainable food choices. We coordinate the campaign in Kenya, recruiting and supporting restaurants, caterers, hotels, and other establishments to add plant-based menu options, while offering training and public awareness initiatives.

Learn more about AVRW
Map of Kenya with two orange location markers, one in the southern part and one near the western border.

WHERE WE WORK

Based in Kenya, we currently serve schools and communities in Nairobi and Kilifi County.

Previous Events

See all

Results since 2018

Reached through our school and community outreach programs:

1,000+ Students

100+ Women

Three women are smiling and holding a bowl of vegetables, including green leafy vegetables and what appears to be sweet potatoes, in a lively outdoor restaurant or bar with bright ambient lighting, bamboo roof, and bar area in the background.
Group of children and an adult woman posing in front of a banner at a plant-based nutrition education event.

50+ Youth

Reached through TV and radio advocacy campaigns:

2 Million+ Kenyans

A group of people sitting outdoors in a circle on chairs under trees, participating in a meeting or gathering on a sunny day.
Group of women working together planting or cultivating a field outdoors in a wooded area.

Testimonial

After working with us, Joy Schools completely removed meat from their menu. Their students gradually moved from three to four meatless days, then eliminated meat entirely. Here’s what  the School Director of Joy Schools had to say about the change:

"Today, our students talk about climate, about love for animals, about growing vegetables with care. They are learning that leadership begins not in titles, but in choices, in every bite, every breath, every act of compassion." 

– Dr. Joyce Kamau, School Director, Joy Schools

Torch Initiatives lead Virginia presenting at Joy Nairobi School:

Get Involved

A group of children gathered outdoors, holding colorful educational posters about fruits, vegetables, and animals with a lush green background and palm trees.

Schools

Bring plant-based meals and education to your students

Contact Us
Four people harvest crops in a green field on a farm.

Communities

Start a vegetable garden with our support

Reach Out To Us
People dancing outdoors in traditional attire under trees, with a water bottle placed on a wooden table made of tires.