Dandelion Africa is a local non-profit NGO based in Mogotio Constituency, Rift Valley, Kenya. The organisation is rooted in a marginalised area and has knowledge of rural cultures and social norms as well as of the challenges facing the communities in the area, with special regards to women and young people.
Our mission is to stimulate awareness and encourage involvement while creating sustainable solutions to improve the Sexual reproductive health and economic livelihoods of women and youth.
Our background & founder’s story
WENDO ASZED
FOUNDER AND PROJECT COORDINATOR
Wendo has a Bachelor in Business and Administration, and before she founded Dandelion Africa she worked at a bank in Kenya.
Wendo Aszed, who lives with her family in the rural Rift Valley of Kenya, founded Dandelion Africa in 2009. Her vision involved starting an organisation that would work directly with the most marginalised groups in the community who are mainly women, girls and youth.
Wendo thought that HIV only happened to other people, and it was not until her best friend died of AIDs that she knew she needed to do something about it. With the support of her husband, she started visiting nearby villages, talking to the women and identifying the specific problems each community faced. The biggest problem, she explains, is not that there aren’t enough resources to work with, but that there is a lack of information out there on how to face the issues.
Wendo has now, together with her husband and volunteers, been working with women and youth in marginalised areas for over seven years.
COMMUNITY BOARD
How does Dandelion Africa know which issues are affecting the community and the best way to work with the community?
The Dandelion Africa Community Board, comprises of 11 people from the communities in which we work, they represent People with disability, People Living with HIV, Students, Youth, Village Elders, Heads of Schools, Ministry of Health representatives, Local women and religious leader.
Their objective is to inform the organization on the needs of the community and the best interventions; they keep the organization on track and ensure that the services provided to the communities are what the communities need.
