Our Legacy
Roots - The Legacy Of Mr. Ongata
The history of Takawiri Island is inextricably linked to the name Ongata. As the first settler to cultivate this land, Mr. Ongata arrived more than 100 years ago when the island was a wild, untouched frontier in Lake Victoria. Through immense resilience and labor, he cleared the bush, established the first homestead, and laid the foundations for the community that thrives here today.
Mr. Ongata to the right - Colonial era photograph circa 1950s
Mr. Ongata
Mr. Ongata passed away in 1987, leaving behind a profound legacy of stewardship and community building. He rests on the very soil he tilled, buried between two of his wives in the heart of the family's ancestral land. His spirit remains a guiding force for the many descendants who still call Takawiri Island home, serving as a constant reminder of the resilience required to thrive in this unique environment.
Mr. Ongata - Takawiris first settler (AI optimized)
Building A Legacy On Ancestral Ground
"Today, Mr. Ongata's grandsons Kenjovesto and Michael return to this ancestral ground not just to live, but to build. The Ongata Foundation Farm rises from Plot 779 - Mr. Ongata's original homestead - turning heritage into hope for a food-secure future."
Kenjovesto and Michael Ongata
Ancestral resting place
Mr. Ongata's grave surrounded by descendants.
1920s Mr. Ongata arrives as the first settler on Takawiri Island, establishing the first homestead.
1987 Mr. Ongata passes away and is laid to rest on his ancestral land, surrounded by family.
1990's Grandsons Kenjovesto and Michael Ongata are born, raised with stories of their grandfather's resilience.
2018 Kenjovesto begins community organizing work, launching volunteer programs to support island development.
2025 Michael established Takawiri Island's first and only privately driven Healthcare clinic.
A Timeline Of Stewardship
2026 The Ongata Foundation Farm is established on Plot 779, transforming heritage into food security.
"When Mr. Ongata first stepped onto Takawiri Island, he could not have known that generations later, his grandsons would stand on the same soil and build a farm to feed his people. This is not just a development project — it is a family's promise across time."
Takawiri Island
Takawiri lies in the Kenyan waters of Lake Victoria, in Homa Bay County. It can only be reached by boat — from Mbita or Mfangano. Home to 2,000 people, mostly fishing families, the island has long depended on fish as the backbone of its economy.
But diets are monotonous, vegetables are expensive to import, and fish stocks are under growing pressure. Takawiri also carries one of Kenya's highest HIV prevalence rates — which makes nutrition and stable income not abstract goals, but life-and-death matters.