It starts with a box
How savings groups are transforming and empowering women in Kenya, offering necessary funds, business skills, and community.
"They took us from a very deep hole, a place that you cannot move out of, and it's as if someone brought a rope, saying ‘you can come back up again.'"
When drought and famine strike, maintaining a business in rural Kenya poses significant obstacles. No access to water affects everyone in an agriculture-heavy economy and industry. With no food to sell or to eat, people can hardly provide for themselves, let alone stock their businesses. For Teresa’s hotel and store, this recent famine posed significant hardship.
Initially, Teresa opened her business in a lively, neighboring town. Her hospitable and friendly personality brought many to her hotel, and she baked mandazi (an African fried bread) to sell to neighbours. However, with the tragic loss of the lives of her own children, she now has young grandchildren to take care of and was unable to make the far commute at her age. She explains the new tension she must resolve: “So the reason as to why you can see there are not a lot of stocks in my business is as a result of the balance I have of taking care of these kids.” So, she moved her business closer to home in desperate hope of more balance for her and her family.
With each rising challenge, Teresa described feeling stuck “in a very deep hole, a place that you cannot move out of.” This severe famine left her with no way to stock her business, and now the worry of feeding the young mouths. She saw no escape, no freedom, and felt far from rescue.
Then, she heard through the local church of a program called Village Savings and Loans (VSL) run by one of Tearfund’s partners, Fadhili Trust. Through a communal box where they keep the money gathered, this group empowers women to earn and save money within their community, giving out loans for various needs and emergencies. Teresa immediately saw the benefit of this for her family and her business and joined: “We got some loans from the group, went and bought seeds, and brought them to gardens and planted. And now we have plenty of harvest!”
Not only has this VSL group — named “Box” in English — allowed Teresa to take out loans to stock her hotel, but it has also taught her invaluable skills. She eagerly explains, “As a result of the training that we are getting, the training in business skills, I’m looking forward to having a bigger business. I’m going to expand.”
Once, Teresa feared that she would not be able to provide for her children or keep her business running, but with the help of this group, she has more than enough! “Now, because we have plenty of food, I’m going now to start up the business and come up again as a renewed person.” This group has given Teresa renewed hope to continue doing what she loves. Once helpless, she explains “Now it’s as if someone brought a rope, saying ‘you can come back up again’.” Teresa now gives out of her abundance to her local church.
Thanks to donors like you, Tearfund can continue to work with and provide for partners like Fadhili Trust, empowering women in Kenya, and giving renewed hope to the hopeless through the love of Christ.
