Go Granny Go - An Amazing Cultural Tour in Kenya

An inspiring trip with One Horizon showing how communities can be transformed with a little help and encouragement. We had a fascinating tour with 2 grandmother pig farmers and their families, hearing their stories and how One Horizon's pig farming project has transformed their lives. Please support Colin and One Horizon 's projects by taking one of their tours, you will get a real insight into the lives of Kenyans.

One Horizon has established a great program to help women who’ve endured a great deal get back on their feet to try to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families. The stories you’ll hear are compelling and listening to the rationale of the program itself provides a lot of insight into certain parts of Kenyan life. My children enjoyed the chance to make chapati and feed the pigs as well, so the whole trip works on multiple levels.

I had grand plans on arrival in Kenya to do a couple of the One Horizon tours, however had issues with their booking system only booking for the day after tomorrow. This led to phone calls with owner-operator Colin, who was able to accomodate me with both tours I wanted in a half-day personalised tour. I was met by Carol at my hotel and travelled to meet mothers with HIV thriving thanks to a two-year rehabilitation program that teaches them trade and entrepreneurial skills so they can set up their own business to support their families. There I also met Solomon (and Colin, briefly) and together we travelled on to meet two grandmothers thriving off pig-farming and able to support their families for the first time in their lives. I honestly could write tons about these experiences, but I will keep it to this: being a development graduate, I know what good charity and bad charity looks like. Colin gets in there and asks what is needed in the community and then makes it happen. The programs come from the community and the community thrives because of it. This is charity at its best. All of the women but particularly the warm hospitality shown by the grandmothers and Carol and Solomon over a lunch we made together, hearing stories about Kenyan life, the struggles, was probably the single best tourism experience I ever had. Carol and Solomon answered every question I had and then some, and I felt so inspired by their hard work and dedication. Travelling for another two months across Africa this tour remained my number one experience and takeaway of what Africa is. I cannot recommend One Horizon highly enough.