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EFF-Coast
The Coast regional center began as the Bodo Initiative, a project founded under Education for the Future Foundation in 2007. EFF-Coast focuses on providing sponsorships to students from a rural village on the Kenyan coast called Bodo. This regional center is rooted in the community, and expenditure decisions are made only after close consultation with Bodo villagers. We have sponsored 20 students from Bodo Village since 2007.
Bodo Initiative founder Lydia Spitalny was inspired to establish this branch of EFF after spending a month in Bodo village performing research. After talking with parents, students, and teachers, Lydia was inspired to give children better access post-primary education in this highly under-served area. In order to make the sponsorship project in Bodo sustainable, Lydia approached EFF about merging Bodo Initiative with the rest of EFF.
EFF has maintained personal contact with villagers in Bodo, and we adapt our offerings to the needs of the local community as needed. Through in-person meetings with community stakeholders, EFF Coast has determined the need for wider poverty initiatives. In June 2009 EFF Coast began its first income-generation project, called "The Sandal Crafts," where scrap sandals are used to make beaded curtains, jewelry and sea animal key chains. EFF offers direct market linkages for the sale of these products in both Kenya and the U.S. Women in Bodo have also formed a group to make hand-woven mats from palm leaves which will be connected with local and foreign markets.
American founder Lydia Spitalny has maintained a strong presence at the EFF-Coast regional center.
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