Cash in the Village
After five years of participating in activities promoted by the program, Judith Mae is optimistic about the future. The mother of five says with a huge smile on her face, “I am now enlightened. I use good farming practices on my farm and teach them to others. Because of this, I have sufficient food for my family, plus an income from selling my surplus produce. I can now take care of my children’s needs and pay their school fees without much struggle.”
Before the program came to her community, Judith Mae had trouble putting food on the table. Like most of her neighbors, she knew little about food production, and most people just got by however they could without a lot of community engagement. But when local partner ADS Pwani helped the community through a self-appraisal, many things shifted. People started using solid conservation agriculture practices like mulching and organic compost. They also began saving money together in groups called Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA). Suddenly, they had a way to pay for home, medical and farm expenses, and started to get ahead. They established demonstration farms, and gave special training to people like Judith Mae to become Community Resource Persons to pass along that knowledge to others.
Judith continues, “I am grateful that the VSLA concept was introduced to us. It is a way to access credit from within the community, something unheard of before. Being a Community Resource Person has also given me an opportunity to interact closely with other community members and share what I’ve learned with them.”
Thanks to Your Support and Generosity
• Program communities are more united toward a common goal
• Participants and their neighbors are experiencing greater levels of food and income security
• Volunteer Community Resource Persons share their expertise with others
Kenya Magarini Program
Led by World Renew and Local Partner ADS Pwani