Indigenous Vegetables and Finding Courage with Maureen Muketha (Founder Tule Vyema, Kenya)| Ep. 2

Joining me on the show today is the wonderful Maureen Muketha. Maureen is the founder of a community organisation in Kenya called Tule Vyema – which means “Let’s Eat Right” in Swahili. She started this organization in her early 20’s in parallel to finishing her studies in Nutrition.

Maureen shares how she works with her community to combat challenges of poverty and food insecurity, what helped her find the confidence to start her organisation at such a young age and how she finds the courage to keep going - even through a pandemic.

On the show we talk about:

• The role of indigenous vegetables in tackling malnutrition, food insecurity and in building sustainable food systems
• How Tule Vyema educates women of reproductive age about eating well and supports them to grow indigenous vegetables at home, making healthy eating more accessible and cost-effective
• What inspired Maureen to study nutrition and do the work she does
• The key ingredients in Tule Vyema’s success
• How to engage and work effectively within a community
• How Tule Vyema’s work is impacted by COVID-19 and what they are doing to face the challenges
• How Maureen makes eating well a lifestyle rather than an event
• What helps Maureen find the courage to do the work she does and how she keeps learning and build her confidence
• Maureen’s tips to not lose hope when facing big issues and how to lead yourself and others sustainably and with intention 

Further information:

For more information on Tule Vyema, follow @tulevyema on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To read Maureen’s Oxfam article about her organisation: https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/lets-eat-right-women-tackling-malnutrition-through-urban-farming/

For more information about other offerings at The Great Full to help you eat, live and lead for a more sustainable world, check out: www.thegreatfull.com

If you are interested in food and sustainability and what you can do to create change, you might like The Great Full cookbook: www.thegreatfull.com/book

Don’t want to miss an episode of The Great Full? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!