Blog by Roberta Radu, Guardian International Development Journalism Competition finalist. Roberta, a London University student, won the chance to visit some of CARE's projects in Kenya and write a piece about them in The Guardian. Here, in the first of a three part series, she goes in further depth about her experiences on the trip, and the inspiring people she met.
Judy, a franchisee from Vihiga district, has helped train hundreds of other savings and loans groups as well as increasing her own income. © Kathryn Richards / CAREEarly in the morning we land at Kisumu. The airport is small, with one runway that seems poorly maintained. One descends straight to the streets. Baggage reclaim seems a far cry from Heathrow’s modern, fast system, but lack of facilities has not rendered the airport inefficient. Suitcases are loaded onto an open van which makes its way from the plane to the parking lot where most visitors are awaited by their contacts.
Each passenger is in charge of collecting his suitcase. There are no screens to indicate the arrival of a flight, no announcements and no conveyors.
Our driver is called Boniface. He has been working for CARE about 8 years, a job he says he enjoys very much because it makes a difference in Kenya. His warm eyes and welcoming smile are much appreciated after going back and forth between Nairobi International Airport and the hotel last night in less than 5 hours (with a dismal 3 hours sleep).
As he drives me and my CARE International coordinator, Kathryn, through Kisumu the town seems to come to life. Hundreds of people swarm the streets, some on foot, some travelling on bike taxis, whilst others open their stalls on the side of the road. Street vendors offer anything from shoes and clothes to shabby furniture and colourful jewellery. Many display their products on rugs.
Traffic is hectic. There are no lanes and road signs are not visible to drivers. The majority of side streets are not paved and huge potholes make it difficult to manoeuver even a 4x4. Following a wait and a reminder from hotel staff that valuables should not be left in the room, we set out for a briefing with CARE Kenya. The headquarters is small, operating from an average sized house that has a beautiful outdoor marquee acting as a staff meeting room.
We joined the staff of CARE Kenya to discuss Group Savings and Loans, a programme developed by the organisation, which now counts Plan UK, The Cherie Blair Foundation and Barclays amongst its partners.
The purpose of these groups is to encourage savings in small impoverished communities that do not have access to formal financial services, whilst building on their entrepreneurial skills through training programmes. Most groups consist of women who wish to improve their and their families’ financial situation through small businesses such as shops, hair salons and market stalls. The main challenge these women face is the lack of collateral, which limits their capacity to receive loans from banks and other formal financial institutions. GS&L offer a simple, yet extremely effective and cheap alternative that enables women to achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions.
Small group of up to 30 individuals commit to saving money, which other members of the community can use to fund different business ventures. Each group agrees to a constitution that usually includes the minimum amount a member can save up each month and the interest rate paid for taking out loans.
A set of rules is devised with regard to book-keeping, frequency of meetings and the roles of members with administrative positions within the group. Most groups also agree on a fixed amount that can be taken out by a member in case of emergencies. Franchisees (established business-owners) and faith-based organisations raise awareness about the existence of such programmes and organise groups that CARE can later manage.
Empowering women is a fundamental step towards eradicating poverty in Kenya. The living proof of that need is Judy, a franchisee from Vihiga district who helped train some 276 groups, reaching more than 7000 people with little access to finance.
Her enthusiasm is contagious, especially when she speaks about the women whom she has helped so far. The schedule is busy; juggling family time, a business and the many groups that require support may seem quite overwhelming, but Judy’s desire to help her community and in the process, increase her own income, seems to be a good enough reason to carry on. The much-needed results have not failed to materialise: her children are in school and her business is growing by the day.
As the staff at CARE Kenya explained, participation in these groups provides women with a platform for small business that could potentially increase the income of their households, but it is also a pathway towards personal development. Economic growth means that mothers can afford to pay their children’s school fees, improve access to proper sanitation and hygiene and establish themselves as decision-makers in a society that continues to follow a patriarchal model.
The same ideas were confirmed at a meeting with local leaders from Kombewa district who believe that CARE’s initiative in Kenya has brought many benefits for local people and a new type of savings culture.
