Growing Food,
Restoring Hope
Building Soil, Building the Future
Taita Taveta
Jonnes Ellijah Mlegwah (Mlesh)
Born, raised, and still living in Taita Taveta County on the Kenyan coast, Jonnes is a farmer, Community Based Trainer, and FAO-supported facilitator of Farmer Field Schools.
When devastating El Niño rains in 1997–98 wiped out harvests and livestock across the region, he witnessed his community go from abundance to dependency overnight. That crisis became his calling.
He founded Garden of Hope to restore sustainable community food systems through GROW BIOINTENSIVE farming — the belief that feeding the soil is feeding the future.
Vision, Mission & Focus
A community with sustainably improved livelihoods, empowered to manage their own resources for generations to come.
Promote GROW BIOINTENSIVE Agriculture and ecological-friendly technologies through training and community outreach programs.
Restore food sovereignty, good nutrition, and environmental conservation through GB farming for small-scale farmers in coastal Kenya.
Our Projects
Tap any project to learn more.
Our flagship demo farm — 110 sunken beds, plant-based compost, only 40L water per GB bed per day.
Eat to Live — training farmers to grow indigenous, nutrient-dense foods as medicine.
Teaching children to love Mother Earth — 50 school children visited the farm in July 2025.
Farmers' right to save, breed, exchange, and sell open-pollinated seed varieties.
1-day tours, 3–5 day workshops, 3-month internships for farmers locally and internationally.
Life at AWoLF
Videos & Social
See the transformation from bare red soil to thriving gardens on our YouTube channel.
Our Present Needs
Your donation goes directly toward building infrastructure that empowers communities.
Community Hall
A hall for 100+ people with office and kitchen for training events and workshops.
Vehicle for Mobility
Transport for outreach training, farm tours, and reaching remote communities.
Solar Borehole (~$35,000)
Solar-powered water access for irrigation and domestic use.
Greenhouse ($1,500–$3,000)
Metallic greenhouse 8m × 24m for year-round seed trials and production.
Farmers' Hostel
Accommodation for at least 20 visiting farmers at multi-day training programmes.
Office & Equipment
Furniture, camera for documentation, and 100 plastic chairs for gatherings.
Help Us Build the Future of Food
Every contribution — large or small — goes directly to training farmers, building soil, and restoring food sovereignty in coastal Kenya.
Partners & Supporters
KOAN
Save the Elephants
Hand in Hand EA
Ecology Action
Baker Creek Seeds
Freed Seed Federation
Manor House Agri.
Elimu Fanaka
MESA
G-BiACK