Economic Growth Kenya Project #26879

Family Economic Empowerment in the Kenyan Slums

by Macheo US

Project Report | Apr 21, 2020
Lost business during pandemic causes starvation

By Seth Mwangi/Anne Thompson | Service Delivery Manager/President Macheo US

Feeding the family

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented economic and health crisis in our country. The social distancing effected by the government is having a negative effect on small business owners which are staggering and likely to be substantial. Entrepreneurs are being forced to take drastic steps to continue operating and many are fearful about their futures. Many also cannot access markets and the economic impacts have dramatic effects on the well-being of families and communities. For vulnerable families, lost income due to an outbreak can translate to spikes in poverty, missed meals for children, and reduced access to healthcare far beyond COVID-19.

At Macheo, we continue making telephone follow ups to the beneficiaries we have financed to set up small businesses. On a regular interview with Jane* one of our many beneficiaries, she said that she felt stressed and panicked about losing her business where she gets an income from. Without an income she cannot buy food for her children, nor pay house rent.

“My neighbors are also in panic and we feel completely helpless. “Since the authorities closed the schools to prevent the spread of corona virus, my five children are at home. I can’t stay at home as I must work to provide for myself and my children, but customers are very few. I’m afraid my kids will get sick, and if they do, I won’t have enough money to pay for health care. Macheo and the government keep emphasizing that we wash our hands with soap and water. We can’t afford to buy hand sanitizers so we just use what is available. We have been told to stay away from each other but how should I do that, yet we live in a small house with my five children. We live in a slum area which is very much filled together. We don’t have water in the slum.” says Jane.

This is what we are getting from the phone calls. Macheo, we are innovating our interventions to meet the demands as it is now. We have changed our strategies on encouraging our clients on how to cope with the situations. For instance we have started phone counseling with our clients to most of our clients now. Before more restriction were made, we used to give food rations but we have changed to cash transfer for the clients. We are also getting community support from well wishes who have heard our call and giving/donating what they have for vulnerable families.

We are doing all we can to support our clients so that they can be strong during this time.

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Jan 21, 2020
A chance of a lifetime

By Seth Mwangi | Service Delivery Manager

Introduction

Forty two percent of Kenya population lives below poverty line. Access to basic quality services such as health care, education, clean water and sanitation, is often a luxury for many people. Poverty is one of main cause of family breakage, depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and other mental health issues. Through your support Macheo aims to reduce poverty in vulnerable families and improve their economic dependency. Household economic strengthening intervention assists the vulnerable families through trainings, seed capital and job mediations. This improves economic independence of the families. We also train them on basic entrepreneur skills before doing the empowerment.

Overview

Due to poverty families have been torn apart by the stresses of trying to provide for their basic needs. Macheo Household Economic Strengthening intervention aim to improve the ability of the families to provide for their children. Macheo through your support was able to assist 304 families to establish business in the period 2019. During this fourth quarter vulnerable families were also trained on savings, business planning, market research and book keeping.

Activities

During the reporting period the following were carried out:

Seminars/life skills: Knowledge unlocks the potential of the client to success. During the quarter we trained the clients on saving, business planning, book keeping and market research. With the skills the client gains confidence to run the business. We managed to give 14 seminars and train 67 parents on life skills.
Economic empowerment: We have provided 75 families with seed capital to start businesses. We encourage them to come up with their own business idea after training.
Job mediation: We assisted three parents to get a job which has helped them improve their economical status. When one member of the family has a consistence income it will help them overcome poverty.

Follow-up/home visits: We have been visiting the clients to check on their progress and also to offer mentorship and support

Success story

Susanna, (not her real name) a 36-year-old, is a hardworking mother of six children who has made sacrifices for the sake of her children in order that they should have the best possible upbringing she can offer, by nurturing them.

Susanna struggled with life doing seasonal odd jobs that clearly hadn't been enough to get her up on her own two feet, being the only one who was able to work after her husband got involved in a fatal accident that left him bedridden for almost two years. This was the time that they struggled and wished the world came to an end. Susanna’s family begged for food and slept in a shanty single dilapidated house. Her family was forced to choose between food, clothes and taking children to school. This is not a choice anyone should have to make. Susanna found herself looking scornfully and as one of those who weren't so lucky, but her experience living in poverty opened her eyes to what it's really like for families just trying to put food on the table.

When Macheo social worker first identified her, Susanna was going through challenges of hunger and other insecure living conditions. Through Macheo, Susanna was supported to start up a pig rearing business that has since then changed her family’s life for the better. According to Susanna, she started the business with one piglet; the reason behind choosing pig farming business was that many farmers were associated with poultry and vegetable selling, but none with rearing pigs, so, she found that it was a great opportunity to start a pig rearing business. Susanna was also trained on financial management and record keeping during seminars that she attended at Macheo. Her ambitious and open mind enabled her to thrive in the pig rearing business. In the first year, Susanna had a stock of sixty one piglets. She narrates that after selling a number of them, she has made it to provide her family with a stable life.

Since Susanna started the business, she has been full of life and a very optimistic mother who always stands out due to her persistence and desire for improving her family’s life. As her business thrive, she has been able to progressively improve the life of her family. Her financial stability has allowed her to make strides in educating her children and support her family in general. Susanna is thankful to Macheo for supporting her family when she was in dire need and she is dedicated to offer one piglet for free to support one needy family that is passionate in pigs rearing. “I do know that there are even many people worse off now than me, but until you experience this long-term poverty situation, you can't really understand how it devastates your ability to function and robs you of your health from the stress, the instability, and the lack of ability to eat healthy. Those were desperate times, before I had a chance to settle down and become a successful farmer and it pulled me out of poverty and gave me a better life. I do my best, and still I am grateful for the basic things in life that I have achieved through Macheo’s support,” says Susanna.

Appreciation

On behalf of the beneficiaries and their families, Macheo is extremely thankful for the moral, professional and financial support received from GlobalGiving. The lives we have transformed couldn’t have been possible without your support. This report celebrates the success we’ve made together.

Thank you!

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Nov 11, 2019
Working hard towards family stability

By Anne Thompson/Seth Mwangi | President Macheo US/Health Coordinator

Samantha's new micro business

All mothers want to feel that they are providing for their families. This is not easy in the slums of Kenya, where jobs are scarce and lives exist from day to day. However with your financial help, Samantha was given the oppurtunity to participate in the Macheo Economic Empowerment Program to make a new start for herself and effect the lives of her two children.

We are very grateful that you put your trust in is.

Story from the Field by Seth Mwangi

Samantha’s story begins long before she opened up her business and her success story illustrates how household economic strengthening can unlock potential and truly change lives of vulnerable families.

Samantha, 25 years old, is a single mother of two, Ann and Joseph who hails from the poor rural community of Kianjau village in the Kiandutu area. Samantha saw her family’s life hopelessly crumble several years ago and a lot of bad things happened to get her there. Like many others who are poor, she didn't have just one or two problems, but a whole pile of them. She depended on odd jobs that earned her little money. Samantha’s family was forced to choose between food, clothes and sending Ann to school. This is not a choice anyone should have to make.

When Macheo social worker first identified her, Samantha was going through challenges of hunger and other insecure living conditions. Samantha’s children had dropped out of school and Joseph was malnourished. Her family drew hope and strength from their immediate family and the mercy of the neighbors who found it a burden to support Samantha’s family with the basic necessities. Through Macheo, Joseph got enrolled in the Macheo Malnourished Program and was given around-the-clock care and the nutrition he needed to grow healthier. After three months, Joseph made steady gains in both overall health and milestone development. In addition, Samantha was empowered economically. Through Macheo, she was supported to start up a business. Samantha was also trained on financial management and records keeping during seminars that she attended at Macheo. The business has enabled he provide for her family and take Ann back to school.

From the start, Samantha has been an active and very bright mother who always stand out due to her tenacity and passion for improving her family’s life. As her business grew, she has been able to gradually improve the life of her family. Her financial stability has allowed her child to return to school and has provided a living environment in which Ann can complete homework. “My dreams for the future are to continually to grow my business and help my kids succeed. I am very happy for the support I have received from Macheo and for the journey they walked with me,” says Samantha. “This opportunity has unlocked my potential and truly changed my life since I am able to sustain my family without strain. The dramatic contrast of Samantha’s life before and after receiving support from Macheo, brings to life the importance of Macheo's work and is a memory that will remain with me forever,” she adds.

As you can see, Samatha's life and that of her children has radically changed because of your support.

Thank You

Anne Thompson

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