Future of Work: In Images - Regina

MEET REGINA

Regina’s journey into urban farming was sparked by an initiative led by the NGO Save the Children, where she gained both the idea and skills necessary to build a sustainable urban farming business. Regina has transformed an urban space into a thriving agricultural hub at the intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, community, and nutrition.

Regina’s business attracts a steady customer base from her neighbours, who regularly purchase her produce. Beyond providing a source of income for her family, Regina’s urban farm ensures a healthy food supply, reducing overall food expenses and supporting better nutrition within her community.

“I aspire to own an expansive piece of land where I can both reside and produce on a larger and more extensive scale.”
Regina

Her aspirations extend to acquiring larger land parcels to expand her farming operations, envisioning a diversified agricultural enterprise that incorporates both vegetable cultivation and animal husbandry. Regina advocates for incorporating agricultural education into school curricula, believing that increased knowledge about urban farming can lead to healthier eating habits and reduce malnutrition rates among the population.

Despite growing up on a farm with limited involvement in its activities, Regina surprises her parents by embarking on her own urban farming journey. Her newfound passion reflects a commitment to sustainable agriculture and contributes to her family’s agricultural legacy in an unexpected way.

This business serves as not only a source of income for Regina’s family but also a means of ensuring a healthy food supply. By cultivating her own produce, Regina not only sustains her family’s nutritional needs but also effectively reduces overall food expenses.

Regina says Farming demands dedication and hard work; it is not solely reliant on talent or passion. Success in agriculture is achieved through consistent effort, perseverance, and a commitment to the labor-intensive nature of the profession.

Regina Nyambura”I gained both the idea and skills for urban farming, together with my friends, under the guidance of the NGO known as Save the Children. Their support played a pivotal role in empowering us to venture into sustainable urban farming practices.”

Regina Nyambura “My produce attracts a customer base from my neighbors, where individuals regularly purchase fresh vegetables, contributing to the success and sustainability of my business.”

Periodically, fluctuations in soil fertility occur, resulting in seasons where the plants experience a lack of moisture, impacting their growth and vitality.

Regina recommends incorporating agricultural education into the school curriculum. Both to impart valuable knowledge about sustainable agriculture and urban farming, and also to cultivate an appreciation for the vital role of farming in our communities.

Regina Nyambura “I take satisfaction in knowing that I am consuming nutritious foods, considering I have personally cultivated them. This brings a sense of happiness and fulfillment”.

Regina Nyambura “I inspect my farm atleast three times per week and ensure regular watering every morning and evening.”

The importance of the informal economy in Kenya cannot be overstated; it accounts for 24% of Kenya’s GDP and also employs five times more workers than the formal economy.

TRANSFORM has been working to understand the current realities and future possibilities for the millions of entrepreneurial Kenyans who hustle to sustain livelihoods across the informal economy (read more about the context of the work here).

Brink, Procol Africa, Busara, Laterite, Ideas Unplugged, and TRANSFORM have collaborated throughout to deliver this work, alongside hundreds of ecosystem actors and informal economy entrepreneurs.

These blogs offer an insight into the lives of some informal workers we spoke to over the course of the project, told through images.