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Empowering youth, women, and communities through literacy, education, and sustainable livelihoods

​​In the rural Maasai Mara of Kenya, we transform the most disadvantaged schools with quality libraries and learning resources, provide scholarships for needy students, bring literacy to the youngest at the village level, fight for an end to period poverty, and run a Women's Work Center providing Income-generating livelihoods to Maasai women for the first time in their lives. In Morocco, building upon our legacy program of the first English libraries at public schools in the rural south, we expanded to indigenous stories and nationwide writing programs for youth, elevating voices previously unheard. 

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Emerging Voices

February 2025: Our 3rd anthology of short stories by young Moroccans is in print! What better way to inspire literacy in the next generation than to give young people a platform to speak their mind, tell their stories, and share with the world. Imagine the excitement when they see their words in print. Our goal is to nurture and elevate young voices rarely heard, with emphasis on rural — whether essays about life challenges, creative short stories, or retellings of oral tales almost forgotten.

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We are thrilled that two of our young writers, Ghizlane Derouich and Rim Berrada, were honored with the Costa Goldex Young Writer's Prize at the Marrakech English Book Festival in January! Thank you Costa Coffee!! Learn more.

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Stories from the Field

"The Women's Work Center is not just a physical space. It is a symbol of hope and change. It reminds us that together, we can create a world where women are celebrated and empowered."

~ Hellen Nchoko, Manager of the Oliveseed Women's Work Center

The Olive Tree, an enduring symbol of peace

Since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the European Olive (Olea europaea) has been a symbol of peace and reconciliation; it also appears in monotheistic texts in this way. It's a tree that gives fruit even in the harshest conditions. In Maasai culture, the wild African Olive (Oloirien in Maa) is a holy tree, signifying both nurturing and strength and used in ceremonies that honor community. These are values we seek to cultivate. 
 

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We envision a world where people everywhere have equal access to quality education and sustainable livelihoods, enabling them to maintain a strong, literate, resilient community; build a positive future for their children; and become custodians of a healthy environment. 

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Oliveseed Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations in the U.S. are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Oliveseed Foundation

P.O. Box 60713

Palo Alto, CA, USA 94306

EIN 82-1693564

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Oliveseed Kenya Trust

P.O. Box 77

Narok, Kenya 20500

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© 2014-24 Morocco Library Project

© 2017-24 Oliveseed Foundation

© 2021-24 Oliveseed Kenya Trust

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