Rare
Vrienden
Policy Plan 2025
The coastal region of Kenya is known for its scenic beauty, African vibrancy, and hospitality—but also for poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities, and unequal chances in life for women and girls.That’s why the foundation's core mission is to contribute to poverty reduction and create development opportunities for women and girls in Kenya’s coastal region, with potential expansion to other parts of East Africa.
The Foundation focuses on Four main goals:
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Providing financial support for secondary and university education for girls from low-income families.
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Funding small-scale irrigated agriculture projects to help women in the region secure sustainable work and income.
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Establish a vocational training program that empowers women by equipping them with skills traditionally dominated by men, such as aluminum fabrication and painting.
The foundation’s mission is to improve the living standards of women and girls in East Africa—particularly in Kenya’s coastal region—through education (mainly secondary schooling) and participation in the cash economy. Without the foundation’s support, these activities would not take place. All board members have a working background in Kenya, know the country and its people well, and understand what’s needed to ensure the foundation’s success.
Board Activities:
The board raises donations from personal networks and beyond, both within and outside the Netherlands. This happens through personal outreach, encouraging donors to engage their own networks, and by promoting the website and attending relevant physical or online charity events.
Non-Profit Status:
De stichting is een non-profitorganisatie. Bestuursleden ontvangen geen enkele vergoeding, behalve de terugbetaling van kleine, redelijke onkosten. Eventuele resterende middelen bij liquidatie worden overgedragen aan de parallelle Community-Based Organization (CBO) Rare Vrienden in Kenia, onder leiding van Jonathan Mativo.
Het hoofddoel is het vergroten van het aantal meisjes dat naar de middelbare school gaat en het aantal vrouwen dat inkomsten genereert via geïrrigeerde groenteteelt. Er is geen vaste kwantitatieve doelstelling.
Funding Approach:
Donations may be one-off, recurring (e.g., annual), or purpose-specific—such as sponsoring a girl through four years of secondary school up to graduation.
Financial Forecast:
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2024: €7,500 in donations
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€1,000 for a water pump and supplies for irrigation sites
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€500 for startup and banking costs
10 girls to attend school (€600 each) -
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2025: €8,500 in donations
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12 girls to attend school (€600 each)
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€500 for maintenance and tools
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€300 for seeds and other consumables
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€500 for general expenses
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Financial Management:
The foundation’s funds are managed by the board via a Dutch bank account. Since the goal is to transfer donations to Kenya, large sums will not remain in the account. Incoming funds are intended to match the cost of schooling and irrigation projects. More donations mean more girls in school and more women participating in productive agriculture.
Board members will hold meetings in accordance with foundation regulations. An annual financial report will be published on the foundation’s website. All income comes from donors and is transferred to the Kenyan CBO Rare Vrienden, which provides receipts and documentation for all expenditures.
The foundation benefits from long-standing, trusted relationships—especially as the chair visits Kenya nearly every year. This enables in-person monitoring of activities, such as bringing together the girls and visiting the farms.
Monitoring & Selection:
All board members have past experience in Kenya and will visit the area when possible to monitor progress. Updates are received from Jonathan Mativo via video calls and annual reports. Mativo also selects the girls eligible for support and the schools they attend—usually boarding schools. In consultation with Mativo, potential new sites for irrigated agriculture are also explored.
Accountability is ensured through detailed school-year cost breakdowns provided annually by Mativo. Irrigation project expenses follow a shared, approved budget, matching foundation funding with local costs. These include one-time expenses (land preparation, pump/tools purchase) and recurring ones (seeds, transport, land rent, etc.). The goal is for these projects to become self-sustaining once a stable market is established.
Board
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Eric Smaling, Chair
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Tineke van Bergen, Treasurer
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Andre de Jager, Secretary