This project addresses economic dependence among rural women in Homa Bay, Kenya through entrepreneurship training and mentorship. Economic independence gives women the power to make their own decisions & protects them from the risks of relying entirely on a partner to survive. We serve 30 women with no income of their own, providing business skills, a $50 startup grant, & ongoing mentorship to launch sustainable ventures: vegetable vending, tailoring rooted in their local
In rural Homa Bay, Kenya, many young women have no income of their own. They depend entirely on a partner for basic needs, reflecting a wider pattern: 96% of Kenya's rural women work the land, yet only 6% own it. Homa Bay also carries one of Kenya's highest HIV burdens, 14.7% among women, nearly five times the national average, because a woman without income often can't leave an unsafe relationship that is her only means of survival.
This project closes the economic gap facing women in rural Homa Bay by equipping 30 women with a path to independent income. Participants join a six-month microbusiness incubator built on the Street Business School methodology: entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and a $50 startup grant to launch a business. Strong follow-up coaching supports each woman through her startup phase, so training turns into a business that lasts
This builds on a proven record: 270+ women already launched businesses through Street Business School. As this cohort's businesses grow, graduates cover school fees and healthcare, save through table banking, and mentor the next cohort, turning 30 women today into tomorrow's trainers. With income of her own, a woman gains lasting power over her decisions, her safety, and her future a shift that reaches her children too.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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