Build a Safe Shelter for Mom & Kittens in Kenya

Project Goal

This crowdfunding campaign aims to build a dedicated shelter for mother cats and their kittens at the Nairobi Feline Sanctuary (NFS)—the only cat shelter of its kind in Nairobi, Kenya. Please support us for creating a safe, warm, and peaceful space where newborn kittens and the mothers who protect them can live without fear.

 

   

At NFS, mother cats and their kittens are currently sheltered in cramped booths or temporary huts, as there is no dedicated space for them.

 

The Nairobi Feline Sanctuary

The Nairobi Feline Sanctuary was founded by a Kenyan lady Rachel, who also founded the Kenya Vegan Society. It all began when Rachel started rescuing injured and sick cats in her home. Guided by a strong belief in nonviolence and animal welfare, and drawing on her experience as worked for a Canadian animal welfare NGO, Rachel established NFS as a haven for cats in need.

 

Located in a low-income neighborhood of Nairobi, NFS has been rescuing and caring for hundreds of stray and abandoned cats over the years. At times. Currently, over 400 cats are in its care.

 

While running the shelter, Rachel and dedicated staff and like Enoch and volunteers, continues to run TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs and hosts events like “Kids’ Day” to educate children about animal welfare and the importance of compassion.

 

     

Rachel, the founder of NFS (left), and Enoch, a lead member of the NFS staff (right).

 

Spaying and neutering procedures are very costly for the average Kenyan, and proper pet care is still not widely understood. As a result, many cats continue to arrive at NFS in need of help every day. At its peak, the sanctuary has housed over 600 cats, and currently, more than 400 cats live there on a permanent basis.

 

Why I Started This Project

For years, Rachel and the NFS team dreamed of relocating to a safer and more spacious site. In May 2025, with the support of generous donors, that dream became reality. They secured a beautiful plot on the outskirts of Nairobi and completed the first new building, which now houses over 100 healthy cats.

 

     

The old shelter (left) was cramped and lacked sunlight, but the new shelter (right) is bright, spacious, and gives the cats plenty of room to run and play.

 

However, the new facility does not yet have space suitable for vulnerable mother cats and newborn kittens. These cats need a separate, quiet space to safely rest and raise their young—especially during Kenya’s cold winter months (June to August), when temperatures can drop below 10°C, posing a serious threat to kittens.

In the current shared shelter, the lack of partitions increases the risk of infectious diseases, which is especially dangerous for kittens and orphaned babies with weaker immune systems. Mother cats also cannot care for their kittens in peace in such an environment.

 

That is why we urgently need to build a separate, enclosed, and warm shelter just for mother cats and their babies.

 

 

 

▼Future Vision

With the new land and facilities, NFS aims to become a true sanctuary for cats, dogs, and other animals in need. Once the mother-and-kitten shelter is completed, activities can be expand for:

• Creating a picnic area where families and travelers can visit and meet the animals
• Hosting school visits and hands-on learning programs that teach children about empathy and the value of life
• Building cottages to offer overnight stays and develop a self-sustaining funding model
• Growing fruits and vegetables to be shared by humans and animals alike

These initiatives will help NFS reduce its reliance on donations and move toward sustainable, community-supported operation.

"Kids’ Day"—a program where children interact with cats and learn how to treat animals with kindness—symbolizes the heart of NFS and Rachel hopes to offer even more such opportunities to children in this new location.

 

     

During the 2023 Kids’ Day event, children played with the cats and learned how to interact with them properly from the staff.

 

The Organizer of this Campaign

The campaign is organized by Hiroko Sugimoto, a development professional based in Nairobi, Kenya. After learning about NFS through her own cat rescuing activity, Hiroko began supporting the shelter by collecting donations and supplies, volunteering on-site, and helping care for the rescued cats.

 

Inspired by Rachel and the NFS team’s unwavering commitment to saving lives under difficult circumstances—and by their philosophy that “every life matters”—Hiroko decided to launch this crowdfunding project to help realize their long-standing dream.

She hopes to serve as a bridge between supporters in Japan/Abroad and the team in Kenya, delivering your love and compassion directly to where it’s needed most.

 

                                               

Cat transporting volunteers, Hiroko is on the right

 

Can You Support to Change Lives?

There are two ways to support with step by step guides are below.

1.    By credit card via the crowdfunding page

2.   By proxy donation to Hiroko’s U.S. bank account

 

1. Donation by credit card from READYFOR platform

Donation by credit card requires to create READYFOR account and provide credit card information. Here is the step by step process below guide you to the donation by credit card. 

 

2. Donation by a proxy donation

If you prefer not to donate through the Japanese website, a proxy donation option is available. You can simply send the donation directly to the organizer, Hiroko Sugimoto (Bank in the USD), who will complete the donation process on your behalf through the READYFOR platform.

 

 

Please help us give mother cats and their kittens a safe and loving space to grow. Every contribution—no matter how small—can make a big difference in saving lives.

I deeply appreciate your warm support.

Hiroko

Nairobi Feline Sanctuary

▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NairobiFelineSanctuary 　

▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nairobifelinesanct

▶日本語インスタグラム：https://www.instagram.com/nairobi_no_neko/
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