From Searching for Work to Growing a Future: Meet Mary Oyugi, Urban Farmer from Kibera

In one of Nairobi's most densely populated communities, a 28-year-old woman is transforming how people grow food — and how they think about their future. This is the story of Mary Oyugi.

Finding Her Calling in Kibera's Urban Farming Program

Before discovering her passion for agriculture, Mary Oyugi tried different jobs, searching for a stable source of income and a career that would bring her joy. Like many young people in Kibera, she faced the challenge of finding meaningful work in a community where opportunities can be limited.

Everything changed when she enrolled in a General Agriculture course — right as the Human Needs Project launched its Urban Farming program in Kibera. What began as a coincidence became a turning point. At 28, Mary joined HNP as a volunteer. Within months, she had found not just a skill — but a calling.

Mary Oyugi with fresh produce grown at HNP Kibera Centre's hydroponics greenhouse.

Learning Hydroponics: A Soilless Solution for Urban Communities

Through HNP's Urban Farming program, Mary learned hydroponics — a soil-free growing technique that uses water and nutrients to grow crops without the need for traditional farmland. She also gained hands-on skills in water conservation, food preservation, greenhouse management, market access, including neighborhood vegetable vendors known as Mama Mboga.

Hydroponics is especially well-suited to Kibera, where land for traditional farming is almost impossible to find. The technique uses up to 90% less water than conventional growing methods — a critical advantage in a resource-constrained community.

Why Hydroponics Matters in Kibera

Kibera is one of the most densely populated urban communities in the world. Traditional farming here faces two major obstacles.

First, there is almost no available land. Second, the land that does exist is often compromised. In the evenings, small fires burn across Kibera — a common way residents dispose of waste. Over time, this has polluted much of the soil, making many families hesitant to trust food grown directly in the ground.

Hydroponics removes both barriers at once. Crops grow in a controlled, soilless environment, restoring community trust in locally grown food while dramatically reducing water consumption.

For communities like Kibera — urban, densely settled, resource-constrained — hydroponics is not just an innovation. It is a practical, scalable path to food security.

Mary at the hydroponics growing station at HNP Kibera Centre. The soilless system allows crops to grow without access to farmland.

Her Dream: A Fully Integrated Farm

Mary's journey is far from over. Today, she consults for farmers across her community, helping them move toward efficient, low-waste growing practices. But she has bigger ambitions.

Her dream is to one day own and manage a large, fully integrated farm — a place where everything from growing to processing to distribution happens under one roof, creating jobs and food security for her neighbours.

SUPPORT URBAN FARMING IN KIBERA

Mary's story is one of hundreds happening every day at HNP Kibera Centre. Our Urban Farming program gives people the skills, tools, and network to build a sustainable livelihood, even in one of the world's most challenging urban environments.

Your support makes it possible.