Kalobeyei, Kenya

Celestin

My crops, pigs & rabbits in Kalobeyei.

I raise pigs and rabbits. I grow crops. I supply pork, rabbit meat and organic fertilizer to help my community access nutritious food and support local farming.

Read my story

Celestin standing among crops on his farm in Kalobeyei — Plate 1 — On my land in Kalobeyei.

My story

I’m Celestin.
I am a farmer.

My name is Mpawenimana Celestin. I am a refugee from Burundi and a farmer in Kalobeyei, Kenya.

I established Celestin Farmer in July 2024, in Kalobeyei Village 1, Turkana County. My business is registered in Kenya, and I manage its feeding, animal care, daily operations, customer relationships and finances.

I raise pigs and rabbits, grow crops and also keep ducks. I sell livestock and meat products, alongside rabbit urine and organic manure for local farmers. My work serves both refugee and host communities.

I also save with the Mafanikio Sarafu Self Help Group, a village savings and loans group in our community. Saving with the group helped me start this farm.

The film

Hear my story in my own voice.

My story has been documented by MaakImpact.org. In this recording I tell it myself — how I came to Kenya and built my farm in Kalobeyei, in my own words.

Field recording · 52 seconds · documented by MaakImpact.org

Recording — my story, documented by MaakImpact.org.

Why I started

Nutritious food. Local livelihoods. Fertile soil.

A

The need I saw

Families in the refugee and host communities faced limited access to affordable, nutritious meat. At the same time, local farmers needed affordable organic fertilizers for their crops. I started my farm to respond to both needs.

B

What my farm offers

I supply locally raised pork and rabbit meat, and provide rabbit urine and organic manure for crop production. My farm also creates paid work in the community. My goal is to make nutritious food more accessible while supporting farmers and household incomes.

01 / My pigsMy farm · Kalobeyei

Celestin feeding pigs at their enclosure — Plate 2 — Feeding my pigs.

I raise pigs for pork.

I raise pigs to supply pork to my community, and I also sell pigs and piglets. Pork is a source of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins. My livestock sales have helped me pay for feed and animal care, and reinvest in the business. Better access to feed, water and veterinary care will help me meet growing customer demand.

Pigs & pork · Rabbits · Crops

Two pigs standing behind the enclosure fence — My pigs inside their enclosure.

Piglets nursing beside a sow — A sow with her piglets on my farm.

Celestin holding a piglet beside the pig enclosures — Holding one of my piglets.

More plates: my pigs (10)

Young pigs gathered around green feed — My young pigs feeding together.

View through wire fencing into the pig enclosure — A view into my pig enclosure.

Pigs feeding inside their enclosure — My pigs at feeding time.

Close-up of a pig behind wire fencing — One of my pigs, up close.

Portrait of Celestin holding a piglet — With one of my piglets.

Celestin holding a piglet near the enclosure — Beside my pig enclosure.

Celestin holding a piglet beside an adult pig — With my pigs on the farm.

Celestin showing a piglet in front of the pig enclosure — A closer look at my piglet.

Young pigs eating green leaves beside a stone wall — My young pigs eating greens.

Two curious pigs looking through wire fencing — Two of my pigs, curious at the fence.

02 / My rabbitsMy farm · Kalobeyei

Celestin holding a white rabbit beside its enclosure — Plate 3 — With one of the rabbits I raise.

I raise rabbits for food and farming.

I raise rabbits and supply rabbit meat as a lean, protein-rich option for families. Their value extends beyond food: I also provide rabbit urine as an organic fertilizer for local vegetable farmers. This connects my livestock work with the need for agricultural inputs that support soil fertility and crop growth.

Pigs & pork · Rabbits · Crops

A white and grey rabbit eating leafy greens in its enclosure — One of my rabbits eating leafy greens.

Side view of a white and grey rabbit with blue eyes — One of my grey and white rabbits.

A brown and white rabbit resting in the corner of its hutch — Resting in the corner of the hutch.

More plates: my rabbits (3)

A white rabbit sitting in its hutch — A white rabbit in its hutch.

A white rabbit eating green leaves — Feeding time for my rabbits.

A grey and white rabbit sitting on netting in its hutch — One of my rabbits settling in.

03 / My cropsMy farm · Kalobeyei

Celestin tending a leafy crop — Plate 4 — Working among my crops.

I work the land.

Alongside my pigs and rabbits, I grow crops in Kalobeyei. These photographs show me tending the plants by hand. My livestock business also supplies rabbit urine and organic manure to local farmers. Together, my farming activities connect food production with the care of the soil that supports it.

Pigs & pork · Rabbits · Crops

Celestin working between rows of crops — Tending the plants in my field.

Celestin standing among rows of crops — Among the crops on my farm.

A path running through Celestin’s cultivated field — A path through my fields.

An established business, ready to grow

I am building on work already begun.

I have registered my business, built animal housing, developed a customer base and generated income through sales. My workers support feeding, cleaning and daily animal care. I reinvest my earnings into feed, veterinary care, water and farm operations.

C

What holds growth back

High feed and transport costs, limited water access, and a shortage of veterinary medicines and vaccines make it harder to increase production. I also need professional livestock-management training. These challenges affect animal health, operating costs and my ability to supply customers consistently.

D

The support I am seeking

My proposal requests KES 574,000 in grant support for pig and rabbit feed, transport, veterinary supplies, a water tank and water supply, and livestock-management training. This investment would strengthen an existing business, not start one from scratch.

E

What I aim to achieve

I aim to improve animal health and survival, increase meat production, make organic fertilizer more available and respond to customer demand. Growing the business would help sustain existing jobs and create further employment opportunities.

F

How I will stay accountable

I will track livestock, feed use, veterinary treatments, sales and finances each month, and share progress reports with a grant provider as required. Feed purchases and veterinary supplies are my first priorities, followed by water improvements in the first month and training during the first two months of support.

For individuals, institutions & NGOs

Let’s talk about my farm.

If you are an individual interested in my livestock products or organic fertilizer, please get in touch. If you represent an institution or NGO, I welcome a conversation about strengthening food production, local employment and sustainable farming in Kalobeyei.

I can share my business registration, farm photographs and proposal to support a conversation about my work.

Phone+254 702 902771 Emailcelestinfarmer@gmail.com FacebookMy farm on Facebook

Kalobeyei Village 1 · Turkana County, Kenya

My pigs & pork My rabbits My crops

Celestin

I’m Celestin.I am a farmer.

Hear my story in my own voice.

Nutritious food. Local livelihoods. Fertile soil.

The need I saw

What my farm offers

I raise pigs for pork.

I raise rabbits for food and farming.

I work the land.

I am building on work already begun.

What holds growth back

The support I am seeking

What I aim to achieve

How I will stay accountable

Let’s talk about my farm.

My pigs. My rabbits.My crops.

I’m Celestin.
I am a farmer.

My pigs. My rabbits.
My crops.