Butterflies beyond the well: Communities spreading their wings for systemic change

The butterfly is radiant and full of promise, much like the communities we partner with. Vibrant, creative, and resilient, they are bursting with life. Yet too often, they are confined—hemmed in by structural barriers: inequitable systems, limited resources, and systemic exclusion.

The well’s narrow walls symbolize these constraints. External funding, like drops of water, trickles in and sustains the butterfly. Essential as this support is, it alone cannot transform. It keeps the butterfly alive but does not free it.

Even before ‘localization’ was a thing, communities have been front runners in driving change. At ForumCiv, we believe true transformation comes not from rescue but from rights—by ensuring that communities realize their agency, their voice, and their rightful claim to a fair share of resources, decision-making power, and opportunity.  

The butterfly’s greatest strength lies not in the water it receives, but in the wings it already has.  

Small donor funding plays a critical role, nourishing hope and offering breathing space. Yet the call is greater: to ensure communities not only survive but soar. This means communities must be empowered to look inward and outward—to revalue their ancestral knowledge, steward their resources, and claim their space in broader systems.

It is about self-determination, dignity, and visibility.

When communities recognize their power, when they participate fully and claim their rights, the "well" becomes merely a starting place—not a lifelong boundary. They rise beyond survival into systemic resilience, shaping their own development paths and influencing the structures that once confined them.

Since Transitioning from Public Private Development Partnerships (PPDP) to Market System Development (MSD) for inclusive development, local communities in Kajiado, Narok, and Nakuru have embraced the change with enthusiasm, seeing in it a practical pathway to dismantle the structural barriers that have long kept them from fully engaging in the fodder and tourism markets.

At ForumCiv, we walk alongside communities—not as saviors, but as partners, ensuring that their wings are seen, strengthened, and celebrated.

Under the PPDP Programme we strive to continuously foster partnerships with local actors to create skies wide enough for every butterfly to fly.