The SAFI Project

The Sustainable Aquaculture Financing Initiative (SAFI Project) is a multi-dimensional program designed to deliver lasting economic, social, and environmental impact in Kenya’s Lake Victoria region. Anchored in local realities, it seeks to unlock the region’s potential through inclusive systems that enable coordinated action—especially by women and youth, who remain underrepresented in decision-making yet hold the key to transformative change.

Initiated and driven by Ohala Africa Foundation, the Project builds on the Foundation’s track record of catalyzing partnerships and platforms such as the Lake Victoria Aquaculture (LVA) Association, now a strong voice for sustainable reform and grassroots empowerment.

The name SAFI reflects both identity and mission. In Swahili, safi means clean, pure, or responsible—symbolizing sustainability and environmental stewardship. As an acronym, it stands for Sustainable Aquaculture Financing Initiative, underscoring its focus on mobilizing innovative financing and enterprise support for aquaculture in the Lake Region.

At the project’s core is the SAFI Capital Fund (SAFI Capital) —a revolving, impact-oriented investment vehicle that provides short- to medium-term financing for aquaculture enterprises. By channeling resources through registered cooperatives, SACCOs, and other enterprise groups, the Fund strengthens governance, accountability, and scale, while empowering smallholder farmers and grassroots ventures to thrive in the blue economy.

Complementing this is the SAFI Environmental Innovations Hub in Kisumu, which will incubate youth-led solutions that enhance both profitability and sustainability. From affordable feed and improved hatchery systems to organic water treatment and solar-powered cold storage, the Hub will test and refine technologies that raise farmer productivity while safeguarding Lake Victoria’s ecosystem.

These two pillars converge in the SAFI Cooperative Service Centers, established across the five riparian counties—Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori. Created and incubated under the SAFI Project, the Centers will act as decentralized platforms for finance, training, enterprise development, and market access. Once mature, they will operate as independent, member-owned entities that anchor cooperative economic action at the grassroots.

Together, these three interdependent components—Capital, Innovation, and Cooperative Enterprise—form a scalable model for transformation. The SAFI Project is not only about financing aquaculture; it is about fostering a mindset shift that positions local communities as stewards of Lake Victoria and active agents in building a resilient, inclusive economy for generations to come.