Thayu Farm
More than a farm. A future.
Thayu Farm
A regenerative working farm in Mleni, Tanga
Thayu Farm is growing food for our children, reducing our dependence on donations and creating a place where children and the wider community can learn practical skills that last a lifetime.
Our Story
Why Thayu Farm Exists
Once the children’s home was up and running, one thing became clear almost immediately: goodwill alone would not be enough. We needed the home to sustain itself.
We started where we could, keeping chickens at the home compound, building up to around 250 birds. It kept us moving, but only just. Feed costs, daily needs, and the limits of the space meant we were always caught in the same loop, never quite getting ahead. The only way out was to scale, and to scale, we needed land.
In 2022, through the generosity of friends of Tesifa, we were able to purchase 3.5 acres in Mleni, on the outskirts of Tanga. It was the beginning of something, even if we couldn’t build on it straight away. Financial circumstances meant the land sat waiting for two years but the vision didn’t change. We simply kept preparing for the day we could begin.
In 2024, through a fundraiser, we were able to begin. Fencing and a gate went up first, then a borehole for water, workers housing to put a full-time team on-site, and a 1,000-capacity poultry house. By early 2025 a goat pen had been added, 15 goats introduced, the herd was growing, and the land itself had expanded to the five acres we farm today.
Thayu Farm is no longer an idea. It is a working farm and what we are focused on now is taking it the rest of the way.
What We’ve Built So Far
Step by step, the farm is taking shape.
Land Secured
The land has been secured and fenced, creating a protected foundation for the farm’s future.
Reliable Water
Water is available on-site, solar-powered from 100 metres down.
On-Site Team
A full-time team now lives and works on the farm, giving the project daily care.
Poultry House
A 1,000-capacity poultry house has been built and is already in use.
Goat Pen
A goat pen has been added, with a growing herd already producing.
Four Pillars. One Purpose.
A farm designed around the children.
Each pillar strengthens the others, creating one integrated system that feeds the children, reduces costs and generates income for the future.
POULTRY
Eggs and day-old chick sales generating consistent weekly income for the home, while supplying the children’s kitchen directly.
GOATS
A growing herd providing meat and milk for the children’s home and building toward breeding stock sales over time.
DAIRY & BIOGAS
Cows producing butter and ghee for the kitchen, with manure feeding a biogas system that replaces purchased cooking fuel.
KWA KAIRETU
A regenerative living space adjoining the farm: accommodation, retreats and hands-on workshops, developed in partnership with Maitu, extending the regenerative practices of Thayu Farm into hospitality and learning.
Farm Life
Land, animals, work, and daily progress.
Where We’re Headed
Four plans working as one.
Each of these four pillars has a detailed plan behind it; scaling the poultry operation to meet real market demand, growing the goat herd toward a breed the farm can call its own, establishing a dairy and biogas system that cuts the home’s daily costs and developing Kwa Kairetu as a place where guests and community members can come and learn.
Together they form an integrated model that is conservatively projected to contribute 65-80% of the home’s annual running costs once fully established. The full picture is in the masterplan and for those interested in a specific pillar, detailed individual proposals are available on request.
The Goal
Food, skills, dignity, and a future.
We want the children at Tesifa to grow up knowing where their food comes from, to learn how to grow it, tend it, and one day build something of their own.
And we want the farm to carry enough of the home’s costs that our dependence on donations becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
Because sustainability isn’t just about finances, it’s about giving children confidence, skills and hope for the future.
That is what Thayu Farm is for.
Partner With Us
Help us build what comes next.
Whether you’re interested in supporting a specific pillar, partnering with the farm as a whole or simply learning more about our vision, we’d love to hear from you.