1. Early Beginnings – The Founder’s Story

Hitaji Development Initiative (Hitaji) was born out of the lived experiences of its founder, Asenath Asha Lutabingwa. Raised in rural Tanzania, Asha lost her mother during childbirth due to poor roads and lack of access to timely medical care. Growing up under her father’s care, she witnessed firsthand the dangers of harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, which left many girls ill and robbed them of their futures. Many were married off after circumcision (the rite of passage. As she advanced in her education, Asha became deeply committed to changing the trajectory for girls in her community. While studying in the U.S., she used her stipend to support girls in secondary school back home. In 2012, she formalized this passion into the Hitaji Development Initiative (Hitaji), a registered NGO in Kenya. Hitaji is committed to fostering sustainable economic development, empowerment and independence for vulnerable women and girls in the rural areas. Her conviction remains clear: “Empower a girl through education and you will change the world around her.” In 2015 she also formed a nonprofit in the United States of America and obtained approval as a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization. She seeks to amplify this message and to partner with U.S. organizations such as the Hitaji-Livingston Chapter, PSE & G, ITIAH among others and individual donors to grow and support Hitaji programs.

2. Programs

Hitaji currently works in Migori County, Kenya, addressing the challenges faced by poor women and girls

through three key programs;

A. Educational Scholarships & Mentorship Program

Supporting vulnerable girls to complete high school, while providing mentorship in both general life skills and STEM fields for junior and senior school girls in Migori Kenya.

B. Economic Empowerment for Rural Women

Enhancing livelihoods for vulnerable women organized in registered groups through microfinance, entrepreneurship training, and agribusiness training that strengthen women’s economic independence.

C. Public Health Programs

Promoting sexual and reproductive health education, HIV/AIDS awareness, and maternal health. Innovative approaches include using women’s soccer leagues and tournaments as platforms for health education and community engagement. Hitaji partners with health professionals from other locally operating organizations to provide health education through health talks during soccer leagues and tournaments.

3. Impact

● 2,000+ senior/secondary school girls impacted by the general and STEM mentorship sessions resulting in improved mental health, self-confidence, academic performance and increased graduation rates

● 15 girls currently on scholarship in rural senior schools in Migori, Kenya

● 13 Hitaji alumni now enrolled in universities and colleges across Kenya

● 30 primary/junior school girls actively engaged in STEM mentorship projects

● 3 alumni graduated from university/college and now employed as professionals

● Trained 1,000+ women in business skills and entrepreneurship

● 200 microloans provided and 80% of the women reported increased financial stability and ability to educate their children and afford healthcare

● 100 women involved in the women soccer program and 90 % of them reporting decreased incidences of high blood pressure, stress and weight

4. Future Plans – 2026

Hitaji is committed to scaling its impact and deepening community resilience. Key priorities include:

● Scaling senior school mentorship to reach 3,000 girls across

● Extending STEM mentorship to 2 junior/primary schools (up from 1) reaching 60 girls

● Expanding education scholarships from the current 10 senior/secondary school girls to 20 girls

● Growing women’s groups from 7 to 15 for economic empowerment initiatives, impacting 2,500 women in Migori County

● Increasing the number of women involved in the women soccer initiative from 100 to 200 women and 95 % of them reporting decreased incidences of high blood pressure, stress and weight.

Hitaji Golden Futures Gala 2026

Join us for an evening of celebration and support Hitaji's mission.

Team Members