Episode
375 Kathleen Harrison: Project Harambee: Transforming Lives in Sub-Sahara Africa
- Published
- Apr 8, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1837
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://podcast.show/womenaging/episode/153793444/
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/women-over-70-aging-reimagined-892091/episodes/375-kathleen-harrison-project-harambee-transforming-lives-in-sub-sahara-africa/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/women-over-70-aging-reimagined-892091/375-kathleen-harrison-project-harambee-transforming-lives-in-sub-sahara-africa.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
In 2001, Kathleen (Keen) Harrison, PhD, took a leave from her university faculty position in medical genetics to travel with the Semester at Sea program. A visit to Kenya’s first orphanage for HIV-positive children changed the course of her life. She returned home feeling, “I just can’t walk away from this.” She didn’t. In 2005, Keen founded Project Harambee, a volunteer-run nonprofit supporting community-led initiatives across three pillars: health care, economic opportunity, and education. Its programs are both practical and powerful: Plant a Seed–Grow a Doc helps students from high schools in under-resourced communities to attend medical school and return to serve rural communities. Livestock donations—dairy goats, chickens, and pigs—help families reduce hunger and generate income. Women’s cooperatives create crafts sold in the United States, building sustainable livelihoods. Today, Keen remains deeply committed while gradually transitioning leadership to nonprofit partners in Kenya and dedicated U.S. volunteers. Sustained by a wide circle of generosity, Project Harambee continues to grow—transforming lives across communities and generations. "I left a profession in medical genetics and found a vocation supporting women and families in Kenya." - Kathleen Harrison Connect with Keen: Email: [email protected] Website: www.projectharambee.org Facebook: harambee.nfp Africa photo book ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OUR SPONSOR AARP Illinois is dedicated to empowering adults 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. AARP-Illinois advocates for the health, financial security, and overall well-being of Illinois residents through community programs, expert resources, and member benefits and is here to help its members thrive. https:www.aarp.org/state/Illinois [activat…