Welcome to MURUDEF, the Muma Rural-Urban Development Foundation commeted to helping the communities of Kakamega district, Kenya.   Founded in 1997 and registered with the Non-Guvernmental Organisations Coordination Board of Kenya in 1999, MURUDEF is a local not-for-profit organisation initiating change and development in Western Kenya. Staffed by members of the local community, MURUDEF runs solely on donor contributions from friends and the generosity of its volunteers, both local and international.

Valuing equality, justice and respect, MURUDEF offers hope and development opportunities through the provision of services for all, irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, tribe or financial status. By working with the entire community it is able to bring people together in a circle of equality that is mutually beneficial for everyone involved.

Motivated by the extreme poverty seen in parts of Western Kenya, MURUDEF operates three main divisions of

service - Education, Healthcare and Community Development. Each program is focused on teaching members of

the community how to develop life sustaining activities whether through adequate schooling, the provision of

basic health and nutrition services or business training.

Currently MURUDEF is seeking to grow its programs to reach more members of the community, particularly

those isolated geographically or who are suffering severe financial hardship. By focusing on grass-roots

development programs, MURUDEF plans to achieve its goals of expanding its non-formal education program to

include permanent structures for its students as well as providing start-up assistance to over 100 community

business groups by 2008. Also initiating a ‘barefoot doctors’ program MURUDEF hopes to alleviate some of the

suffering associated with poverty, malnutrition and HIV, especially within the more isolated communities.

Please feel welcomed to our community as you gather information about our programs in Western Kenya. If you

have any comments or suggestions regarding our organisation, or would like to learn more about poverty and

development in Kenya, please visit http://globalidealist.blogspot.com to participate online and chat with our past

and present volunteers.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Onesmus Mmasi

Program-coordinator

MURUDEF

MUMA RURAL - URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION Amalemba PO Box 1136 Kakamega Kenya Tel 056 30226