What we do

“A Ugandan girl is always judged by whether she would make a good wife, not a potential member of the workforce,” says Leah Eryenyu, a professional feminist who’s fighting to improve the rights of women in the flower sector. “With a living wage women could flourish and take well-considered decisions about their lives.”

Our story

Hivos believes that humanity can only contribute to greater good if all human beings lived responsibly and ethically. Our premise is simple: realising true equality for men and women is not a pipe dream, it is possible. This is where our story of creating safe work spaces began.

In just a couple of days, Kenya’s high court is expected to make a ruling that will turn the tide for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) rights in the country.  Same sex relations in Kenya are outlawed under the penal code and considered punishable with a sentence of up to 14 years. While […]

Conserving global biodiversity

“Food is a symbol of self-determination. You cannot have dignity without feeding yourself.

Fighting corruption with cartoons

Makarao (Swahili slang for “police”) is a popular online animation series that follows the lives and antics of two fictional policemen in Kenya. The stories use sharp humor to focus on the many and often absurd ways policemen, especially traffic police, demand bribes and harass average citizens.

Fewer choices, shrinking diversity and rising food giants They say seeds are the soul of agriculture, a statement that fights to justify some truth but all indications of reality show an uncertain future of seeds. Currently, it is estimated that the world has lost 75 per cent of its crop diversity. A stark reality that […]

Changing the food system

Allow us to take you to Indonesia, Bolivia, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. In these countries, we’re getting street vendors, municipalities, cooks, farmers, activists and politicians to not only fight malnutrition in innovative ways, but also to slowly change the way the food system works. 

The remarkable journey of a young Ugandan woman

Janepher became a hero to the workers, but to her fellow supervisors and management, she was a traitor – and it was then that the intimidation began.

Hivos believes that when people are given a chance to live in freedom and dignity, they are able to live a life that contributes to the greater good of humanity.