Supporting Permaculture in Kenya
- Milton Dixon
This blog is a condensed version of the account of Troy’s three-month stay, written by Akira Hirose, one of our Online PDC graduates. He interviewed and corresponded with Troy for this report.
To see the full report by Akira, download the PDF version HERE.
“Prologue” - Bill Wilson, Midwest Permaculture
While teaching multiple PDC Courses at the Sivananda yoga ashram in California, I met Swami Padma on multiple occasions, and we became fond of one another. After leaving the Sivananda organization, he moved to Africa and founded the Hand to Hand Community in Kenya (HHCK) – a permaculture farm and refuge for small families yearning to leave the slums of Nairobi.
Last fall he reached out to us for some needed permaculture guidance and hands-on assistance. One of our PDC graduates, Troy Johnson located in Chicagoland, volunteered to travel to Africa to assist.
I’d like to express my gratitude to Troy and Akira for making this experience available to the rest of us via this blog post and pictures. Thanks Gents. – Bill
Troy Johnson’s Permaculture Assistance in Kenya, Africa
“If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.”
Early Challanges
Travel, culture shock, and illness (malaria) greeted Troy in his first days at the HHCK. Though frustrating, the downtime gave him space to observe and plan.
Biogas: The “Willy Wonka” Digester
Once back on his feet, he began working with the local crew and designed a low-cost biogas system from a 55-gallon barrel for under $150. Built intentionally without electricity, the project demonstrated that appropriate technology can be both simple and powerful. The system soon inspired replication in the wider community surrounding HHCK.
Compost & Mulch: From Waste to Wealth
Passing through nearby Kilgoris, Troy spotted unused “resources”: food scraps, sawdust, woodchips, and discarded barrels. Seeing this, he urged the community to collect truckloads of woodchips, sparking their first mulching efforts.
He also challenged the perception that compost was either “too complicated” or just “waste management.” By uncovering rich compost in the chicken run and applying it to gardens, he proved its fertility—volunteer pumpkins and tomatoes soon appeared. The community began calling it “black gold.” Even their bucket toilet, once viewed only as an eco-burden, was reimagined as a future soil resource.
Water: The Sweet Spot of Design
Kenya’s Lake Victoria region receives nearly 50 inches of rain per year—yet water was still scarce and was carried from a well, by hand, daily, for basic water needs. Troy emphasized rainwater harvesting as the simplest, most impactful intervention:
“If you only do one thing, collect rainwater.”
He repaired an existing 3,000-liter tank, added mosquito-prevention measures, and promoted first-flush filters. The first systems worked so well that local residents began to install them on their own homes. This one change brought a simple solution to an ongoing aggravation.
Swami Padma eventually hired a local plumber—who had also helped build the biogas unit—to install a kitchen rainwater system. Rain was no longer a nuisance, but now an abundant, valued resource.
Shifting Perspectives
By his second month, momentum built. Systems were improving, and more importantly, perceptions were shifting—from viewing waste as useless to seeing it as resource, from passive consumption to active creation.
Troy closed his stay by teaching soil and compost workshops, demonstrating hot composting and “chop and drop” methods. These sessions sparked lightbulb moments. The community began to see permaculture not as theory, but as practical, empowering tools.
Closing Reflections
Did Troy’s journey meet Bill Mollison’s definition of permaculture? Absolutely. Systems became more productive, waste turned into resources, and community resilience grew.
More importantly, mindsets began to shift. Norms were questioned, alternatives explored, and the flame of self-reliance fanned.
Bill Wilson’s thank you email to Troy included: “You have no idea what the long-term impact of your contributions will be, Troy. You may have already changed lives for generations. This is the work of permaculture.”
Troy’s journey shows how small, simple changes—applied with humility—can ripple outward for generations.
For a more detailed account of Troy’s Journey, you can download the full version here.
Feel free to email us if you would like to connect with Troy. We will forward your message.
If anyone is interested in connecting with Troy just let us know and we can pass along a message.
1 thought on “Supporting Permaculture in Kenya”
Awesome! Midwest Permaculture and their students are changing the world for the better!!! What an awesome legacy. Great work Troy!