Leveraging years of experience with women’s groups—and bolstered by the classroom space and equipment built into the Kenya Works Community Center purchase in 2023—Kenya Works has been expanding women’s empowerment programming this year.
In 2024 alone, 146 women entered the program and 78 received seed money. Through an 8-week training module and weekly meetings, emerging entrepreneurs learn how to plan and implement a business and grow their financial literacy. In addition to business training, we are providing seed money to help women take the next step in establishing their microbusinesses.
The World Bank defines empowerment as a process of change by which those who have been denied the ability to make strategic life choices acquire this ability. According to a recent Kenyan Bureau of National Statistics (KBNS) report, only 29 percent of the country’s women are empowered.
Put simply, there is urgent need to invest in women’s empowerment. And it makes good economic sense to do so.
Long understood by change makers on the ground, it’s not enough to invest in children in poverty, it’s critical to invest in their families as well—particularly mothers.
“Too many women in Kenya are left out of the workforce. The mothers in our program largely grew up in poverty. Many had children at a young age making it hard to complete their educations. This gap between increased financial need and decreased earning opportunity expands leaving women hopeless,” said Ronoh Josphat, social worker with Kenya Works.
“There is so much intelligence, talent and ability to unleash,” he added. “We witness the blossoming of self-reliance and resilience among our beneficiaries. And that ripples throughout the community and into generations ahead.”
Help us expand our reach to the Musenke Community!
The Kenya Works Women’s Empowerment Team recently met with four Musenke-area women’s groups to learn about their women’s empowerment initiatives.
An agricultural community in a semi-arid region, the community is increasingly impacted by extreme weather—long months of severe drought followed by flash floods—that damages homes and livelihoods.
Chronic food insecurity and extreme poverty are outcomes—conditions that hold back women’s and girls’ empowerment. The women’s groups are actively responding through collaboration, cooperative savings efforts and group planning to achieve larger outcomes.
Our team learned across the four groups, they share key goals: constructing climate-resilient homes and business structures, improving girls’ education access and expanding the women’s goat trade business. But they face persistent challenges, largely: lack of access to capital, climate-based threats to home and business security and the constant struggle for clean water.
Kenya Works is actively seeking resources through donations and partnerships to add power to the Musenke women’s empowerment initiatives!
Donors and partners needed!
Together with the women’s groups, we identified three collective-funding areas. Now, we are asking donors and partners to join in.
Financial Training & Capital Development:
Donors and partners can provide capital to be dispersed as loans and grants to the women’s groups to invest in climate-resilient homes, girls’ education and expanded opportunities for women’s livelihoods. Our partner Kingdom Bank is onboard to provide financial training.
Water and Sanitation Projects:
We are seeking partners to develop rainwater harvesting systems, drill water boreholes and implement water purification technologies for sustainable water security.
Food Security Initiatives:
Supporting agricultural projects and food distribution programs will help alleviate urgent food insecurity and promote sustainable food production practices.
Kenya Works has partnered with Musenke communities across all four Kenya Works pillars from rescue and shelter, to Makini Pads & menstrual health and hygiene training, to education sponsorship and female teacher quarters, and anti-FGM/child marriage & human rights training.
These women are ready to take that investment—and their communities—to the next level!
SEED MONEY SUCCESS STORIES
Women experiencing poverty who are under-trained, under-banked and under-financed are finding access to training and capital through our Women's Empowerment Program. Business success, financial independence and self-worth are the major outcomes. Harnessing their untapped potential is good for women, their families and entire communities.
Juliana's Salon
Juliana, guardian to Kenya Works scholar “Wendy," had a passion for hairdressing but lacked the resources to start her own salon. The Women Empowerment Program provided her with seed money, necessary training and financial support to turn her dream into reality. With the funds from Kenya Works, Juliana bought basic salon equipment and rented a small space to set up her salon. Juliana’s salon
has quickly gained a reputation for quality services. Juliana's salon is now a thriving business, providing her with a reliable income. She supports her family and mentors other women in the community, encouraging them to pursue their dreams.
Wisdom Junior Care Centre
The daycare is owned by four beneficiaries. It is located in Kware area. Before they started the day care, all were depending on our programs for support including food, clothing and counseling while looking for uncertain casual jobs. Now with the day care in operation, they are able to cater for their needs without depending on our organization. Currently, they have a total of 50 children in their care.
Knight's Produce Stand
Knight enrolled in our program last year and completed the training. After which, she was given seed money to start her business. She is very active in savings and repaying of her loan. This is essential because more women can be empowered with the same seed money. Currently, she does not depend on the organization’s support as she is able to take care of the needs of her family including food and educating her children.
Gladys' Groceries
Gladys is a single mother of four children. After graduation she was given the seed money to start her grocery business. Before she started her business, she was dependent on Miale Ya Tumaini’s feeding program, taking home both lunch and supper. Having received her capital, she was able to start her business which has since stabilized allowing her to stop receiving food support.
Moraa's General Shop
With support from the Women's Empowerment Program, the seed money Moraa received enabled her to open a general shop that sells household items. The general shop Moraa opened helps her cater to various needs within her family. The program's funds helped her stock her shop with a wide range of products.
Millicent’s Grocery Shop
Millicent, single mother of four and a parent to Kenya Works scholar Aviera, joined the Women Empowerment Program with the hope of creating a stable income source for her family. With the initial support from Kenya Works, she was able to set up a small grocery shop in the local market in the outskirts of Kware slums. Millicent used the seed money to purchase essential groceries and rent a small space in the market. Through the business management training she received, Millicent has learned effective inventory management and customer service skills. Her shop has become popular in the community, providing her a steady income to support her children and improve her family's living conditions. She has also been able to save a portion of her earnings, contributing to her financial security.
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