IKEA Foundation has awarded BOMA, the Kenya and U.S.-based non-profit, a grant of $10.1 million to support the organization’s innovative approach to alleviating poverty in regions severely impacted by climate change.
“We know that there’s an inextricable link between climate change and extreme poverty, especiallyin the arid regions of Africa. At BOMA, we’re optimizing our approach to not only lift people out of poverty — but to do it in sustainable and even restorative ways. This partnership with the IKEA Foundation is a transformative step forward in that mission,” said BOMA’s CEO, John Stephens.
The new initiative, Livelihoods and Inclusion for Transformation in Kenya (LIFT), funded by this grant, will catalyze opportunities for 15,600 people living in extreme poverty. It will focus mainly on women, youth, refugees, and displaced people, supporting them to launch and build 3,650 environmentally friendly enterprises in Samburu and Turkana counties.
The program will be implemented in partnership with Smart Regional Consultants Danish Church Aid, Kenya, and respective county governments and local community organizations. It is ultimately expected to benefit more than 93,000 people in Northern Kenya over two years.
Throughout the three-year initiative, BOMA and the IKEA Foundation will partner with researchers from Innovations for Poverty Action. The researchers will conduct an independent randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of BOMA’s climate-focused approach for future expansion.
Commenting on the partnership, IKEA CEO Per Heggenes said they were excited to fund and support the initiative.
“We’re grateful for the funding and support.We are excited to be partnering with BOMA to establish green enterprises in Kenya. By working with BOMA to scale their innovative approach to helping vulnerable communities withstand climate change and build their own resilience, we can lift more people out of poverty and protect our planet.”
LIFT Kenya will build upon an initial pilot of BOMA’s climate-adapted approach, known as Green REAP. This was conducted with support from the Whole Planet Foundation and the Climate Justice Resilience Fund in Samburu County, Kenya, from 2019 to 2021.
BOMA’s poverty graduation approach — the Rural Entrepreneur Access Project, REAP — has been proven to have a lasting impact on participants. It empowers women, youth, and refugees by providing the resources, tools, knowledge, and connections to develop reliable incomes that help families to invest in the future.
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