ht Kenya NGO

Heavenly Treasures Kenya is a registered NGO (non governmental organization), a non profit organization.  This NGO registration was officially granted to Heavenly Treasures in 2007.  The focus of HTK is to support the micro enterprise network in Kenya, ministry to the poorest of the poor and equipping individuals to become self sustaining. Heavenly Treasures is a mission society and works together with others to bring the love of God to the people we serve through a practical means.  HTK is recognized by the Kenya government and abides by the bylaws and constitution submitted to the NGO Governing Board.

check out our website: htkenya.org

Heavenly Treasures Kenya's main aim is to support artisans who produce handicrafts through business development, personal development and spiritual nourishment.

A. Business Development

We realized that artisans are talented and for them to enhance their full capacity, they have to match their handy skills with their business skills. Heavenly Treasures provides an avenue where artisans are trained in product development, business management coaching, accounting, sample distribution marketing and networking forums.

1. Product Development

Since we work with only artisans who produce handicrafts, we train them in how to improve the process of creating their product- this entails – Identifying the raw materials available to locally, the current market trends, distribution channels, general pricing strategy, product differentiation. Artisans have to always adopt and create new items to be competitive in this business.

2. Marketing Forums

Many artisans lack the avenue to market their products, through our partnership and KEFAT and KCDF, we have been able to provide an avenue for our artisans to showcase their products in several trade fairs. 

3. Sample Distribution

Part of our training is to encourage artisans to continue with their creativity. Artisans provide us with samples that we distribute to the new markets constantly. 

4. Accounting

Basic accounting skills are important to handicraft artisans just like any other business. Many artisans do not realize if they are making a profit or loss in this business. We train them in basic accounting skills and help them understand the importance of record keeping.

B. Spiritual Development

Heavenly Treasures spiritual development program is designed to meet the needs of the artisans concerning their personal growth and discipleship.  This need is met through two streams: Bible study classes designed by artisan Small Groups.  Each artisan group is trained given a devotional and trained on how to go about it. They mostly involve other community members on the basis of shared needs, similar interests or common activities.  

The second group is the Discipleship Group, whose primary objective is helping members grow spiritually through prayer, fellowship, and Bible study. The purpose of spiritual development is to “grow up” the people of God, through the study of God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, and ministry so that they may be better able to do what Christ told the church to do, “Make disciples of all men” .

C. Personal Development

Every product represents a change of life!  We value the individual much more than the product. Heavenly Treasures provides guidance and counseling sessions to the artisans and their communities. We realize that many artisans go through life struggles by themselves. They do not have any outlet to discuss some of the issues. By providing a counselor who visits each group and also one-on-one meetings, we have realized drastic improvement in their workplace. Some topics trained this year are self-actualization, safety needs, and Esteem needs. This is a lifelong process that artisans get to access their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life and set goals in order to realize and maximize their potential.

D. Loving People

Sometimes a simple home visit, a new pair of shoe or a food packet offered in God’s name is worth a thousand summons on love and compassions.

"If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one"….  Mother Teresa

Heavenly Treasures committed to loving our artisans and develop their families and communities. Though a partnership with Heavenly Treasures US we are able to have short summer teams to do ministry in the artisan communities. Teams in the past have helped in the following ways.

Borehole

Drilled a 200 m well in Kakuyuni, a village in Eastern Kenya.  The borehole has been able to provide water to over 5000 families living in the area. Moreover it has been used to develop an Agricultural Garden and fishponds for training in that community.

Dental Clinics

Heavenly Treasures US has been able to send a team of Dentists, led by Dr. Bob Sue (  D.D.S) for 8 years to villages in Kenya. This has been a huge help to the artisan communities who have no access to dental care.

Sports with A mission

Sports teams in the US have been able to donate soccer uniforms to our artisan communities. We have held several tournaments where it has brought the communities together. It is a good way to reach out everyone in the community. Everybody loves sports!

Home and Workshop visits

The visits are the best way to get to know our artisans. 70% of our artisans work from their homes. We have visited every artisan we work with. Our presence in their homes is a huge boost and morale to their work.

Gideon Kigen Teimuge is the Director of Operations

Kigen has been leading the development of staff and mission in Kenya since May, 2007.  He received his BA in Political Science and International Business at Azusa Pacific University here in California.  Throughout the four years that Kigen attended APU he interned with Heavenly Treasures in Glendora, CA.  He learned about retail, micro enterprise development, business skills, budgeting and program development. Kigen worked with HT in Kenya for three summer terms and has since become the Director of Operations in 2009.  His heart is to work with our HTK mission team to support the artisan families.