The Rift Valley Foundation is organized exclusively as a nonprofit that operates for charitable purposes to improve individuals’ and families’ quality of life in Kenya's Rift Valley. It operates within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. All your donations are tax deductible!
The purpose of Rift Valley Foundation is to:
The purpose of Rift Valley Foundation is to:
- support the pursuit of education by providing students with school fees, boarding fees, uniforms, transportation, and/or school supplies;
- provide financial support for individuals needing medical attention;
- encourage entrepreneurship by supplying business-minded men and women with items to start up or improve their ability to make money for themselves;
- advance community lifestyle by providing homes with electricity, running water, sanitation, and home improvement projects.
Why We Started
Josphat and Shenan Boit decided to start the Rift Valley Foundation after years of seeing and studying the negative effects of the misuse of international aid. Josphat grew up in Kenya's Rift Valley. Shenan worked on international development projects in Africa, Eastern Europe and the South Pacific. They have seen computers donated to schools with no electricity. Cows given to families with no land. High School scholarships provided to students who are not passing middle school. Imported mosquito nets handed out for free in areas where local men's and women's livelihoods depend on selling the mosquito nets they make. Electric generators given to communities with no access to fuel.
They have seen major international aid corporations funnel millions of dollars in donations to pay for LandRovers, gated-community housing, and six figure incomes for their American employees in the name of "project development." They have seen donations go into the pockets of wealthy government officials in the name of "community advancement," which only fuels corruption and perpetuates poverty.
But not all international aid is bad. There are plenty of nonprofits that are doing it right. They are empowering families by providing access to clean water, food security, education, business ventures, medical care, and more. The Rift Valley Foundations was designed to do it right. Our foundation has virtually no overhead so when you donate, your money goes straight into goods and services that help families. We are 100% volunteer run. We send our funds using a secure, no-fee, best transfer rate application - Wave. We talk to locals and try to assist them with what they need, instead of what we "think" they need. When possible, we purchase goods and services from the locals in the Rift Valley in order to boost the economic capacity of the community. All donation recipients are carefully vetted. We look for individuals and families who are most in need AND who are willing to work hard to better their and their neighbors' living situations. We don't provide handouts. We provide tools so people can help themselves.
They have seen major international aid corporations funnel millions of dollars in donations to pay for LandRovers, gated-community housing, and six figure incomes for their American employees in the name of "project development." They have seen donations go into the pockets of wealthy government officials in the name of "community advancement," which only fuels corruption and perpetuates poverty.
But not all international aid is bad. There are plenty of nonprofits that are doing it right. They are empowering families by providing access to clean water, food security, education, business ventures, medical care, and more. The Rift Valley Foundations was designed to do it right. Our foundation has virtually no overhead so when you donate, your money goes straight into goods and services that help families. We are 100% volunteer run. We send our funds using a secure, no-fee, best transfer rate application - Wave. We talk to locals and try to assist them with what they need, instead of what we "think" they need. When possible, we purchase goods and services from the locals in the Rift Valley in order to boost the economic capacity of the community. All donation recipients are carefully vetted. We look for individuals and families who are most in need AND who are willing to work hard to better their and their neighbors' living situations. We don't provide handouts. We provide tools so people can help themselves.