By Peter Serete | Program Officer
The Pride of Woman group in Mt. Elgon continues to demonstrate commitment to improving household livelihoods and strengthening women’s economic empowerment through collective action. As part of efforts to support sustainable livelihoods, we provided raw materials worth 1,000L to support the women in making multipurpose liquid soap. This support is an important step toward helping the women develop a small income-generating activity while strengthening existing initiatives such as table banking and merry-go-round.
The women received raw materials to enable them to begin producing multipurpose liquid soap. The materials will be used collectively by the group, allowing members to gain practical skills in soap production, packaging, marketing, and small-business management.
The initiative is designed to start on a manageable scale and grow gradually as the women generate income from the sale of the soap. By producing the soap locally, the women can reduce production costs and retain a larger share of the profits within the group.
The liquid soap initiative will provide the women with an additional source of income. Profits from the sale of the soap can help members meet household needs, support children's education, purchase food, and respond to other financial challenges. The activity will also create opportunities for women to develop entrepreneurship, financial management, teamwork, and marketing skills.
Importantly, the initiative complements the women’s existing table banking and merry-go-round activities. A portion of the profits can be saved through table banking, while another portion can be reinvested into soap production. This will help the group build a stronger financial base and reduce dependence on external support.
The merry-go-round system has already created a culture of mutual support among the women. The soap-making project strengthens this solidarity by giving members a common economic activity and shared responsibility for managing the business
“We are very grateful to our donors for believing in us and supporting our group with the raw materials for making liquid soap. This opportunity has given us hope that we can create something that will generate income for our families. We are already used to supporting one another through merry-go-round and table banking, and now we have an activity that can help us increase our savings. We promise to work hard and make good use of this support.”
“Before receiving this support, we were thinking about how we could start a small business together, but we did not have enough resources. The support from donors has given us a starting point. We can make soap for our own households and sell the extra to our neighbors and other community members. The income will help us contribute to table banking, support our families, and improve our lives. We sincerely appreciate our donors for investing in women.
The women of Mt. Elgon sincerely appreciate our supporters and friends for her generosity, encouragement, and commitment to supporting women’s livelihoods. your contribution goes beyond providing raw materials; it has given the women confidence, hope, and an opportunity to work together toward greater economic independence.
The women recognize that meaningful change often begins with a small opportunity. Through GlobalGiving support, they now have the opportunity to transform their collective efforts into a sustainable income-generating activity. They are committed to using the resources responsibly, strengthening their group, and ensuring that the benefits reach as many members as possible.
The women and the wider community express their heartfelt “thank you” to GlobalGiving for standing with them and believing in their potential. They hope that this partnership will continue to create more opportunities for women in Mt. Elgon. For the initiative to remain sustainable, the women will maintain proper records of raw materials purchased, soap produced, sales made, expenses, and profits. They will also establish clear group agreements on how profits will be shared, saved, and reinvested. With continued mentorship, access to markets, and modest additional support, the women can gradually expand production and explore other household cleaning products.
The support provided by our donors has given the Mt. Elgon women an opportunity to strengthen their economic resilience through multipurpose liquid soap production. Combined with table banking and merry-go-round, the initiative has the potential to increase household income, strengthen savings, promote entrepreneurship, and deepen cooperation among the women. Most importantly, the initiative demonstrates that when women are given an opportunity and trusted with resources, they can turn that opportunity into sustainable change for their families and communities.
By Peter Serete | Program Coordinator
By Peter Serete | Program Coordinator
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