The Boy Who Grew Up Raising Chickens
From a young age, life in rural Kenya taught Moses Mwenda Muthinja the value of resilience. Born into poverty, Moses began working as a child, not by choice, but by necessity. While other children played, he engaged in child labor to help support his family. From the small income he earned, he bought and kept chickens, rabbits, and ducks—both as a hobby and as a means of economic contribution.
“During primary school, I worked to help my family.
I started nourishing chickens, rabbits, and ducks.
It was both a passion and a small business. Those experiences shaped my love for sustainable farming and my desire to create opportunities for others.”
Children Are Growing Up Without Nature
Kenya is urbanizing rapidly—nearly 30 percent of its population now lives in cities, many of whom reside in overcrowded slums. These environments offer little access to nature or healthy recreational spaces. For families, the pressure is constant. For children, education grows increasingly disconnected from real life. Schools lack hands-on learning resources, especially in agriculture and conservation.
Having experienced rural hardship himself, Moses understood how deeply these problems affect both city and countryside. Elim Springs was created in direct response to offer urban families and schoolchildren a place to reconnect with nature, experience practical learning, and find relief from the stresses of city life. The farm serves as a bridge between urban and rural Kenya—a space where education, recreation, and sustainable livelihoods converge.
A Living Classroom in Nature
Elim Springs Peacock and Ostrich Farm is more than a leisure destination; it is a hub for ecological education, community empowerment, and sustainable tourism. Located just outside Nairobi, the farm welcomes visitors to a serene environment where nature takes center stage.
The guest house and restaurant offer peaceful hospitality, while guided tours introduce families and tourists to ornamental birds such as peacocks, ostriches, guinea fowls, and quails. For school groups, Elim Springs offers practical learning opportunities aligned with Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), enabling students to gain real-world experience in farming and conservation.
By combining conservation education, hospitality, agriculture, and event services, the enterprise creates local employment, supports community suppliers, and promotes environmental awareness. Moses envisioned a space where people could learn, relax, and support a sustainable future—all in one place.
Learning Through Peacocks and Ostriches
Elim Springs is more than a farm. It is a place where children learn, communities grow, and nature is protected. For many students, especially those from urban areas, visiting the farm is their first opportunity to experience nature and wildlife up close. Through hands-on educational tours, they learn how food is grown, how animals are cared for, and why protecting the environment matters.
The farm also creates employment opportunities for local youth in agriculture, hospitality, and event management, helping them build stable livelihoods. By using solar energy, rainwater harvesting, and other environmentally friendly practices, Elim Springs demonstrates how people can live and work in harmony with nature.
Moreover, through programs aligned with Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), students gain practical skills in agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainability. Beyond learning, the farm also provides a peaceful space where families and city residents can relax, reconnect with nature, and improve their well-being. Moses believes that when people develop a closer relationship with nature, they are more likely to protect it for future generations.
Today, Elim Springs is ready for its next chapter, but it cannot grow alone.Every contribution helps create new learning opportunities for children, sustainable employment for local communities. Your support is not simply funding a farm—it is investing in education, conservation, and economic opportunity.By supporting Elim Springs, you are helping more children learn, more families thrive, and more communities reconnect with nature across Kenya.
