A path shared for 27 years - IFAD

“The village water committee identified three families as being
particularly vulnerable. Mine is one of them because I’m blind and
I used to beg for food. We’ve not had to pay anything. The committee
even gave me some farm tools. With the water and tools, my family has
been able to grow enough food for us (we are eleven) and we can even
sell some. I have used part of my earnings to set up a kiosk where I sell
vegetables and peas. None of this would have been possible without
the water and the kindness of the water committee.”
Beth Njoki, Gathuka, Nyandarua, Kenya
“The loans aren’t the only thing my group does for me.
We help each other in many other ways: help buy medicines,
visit a member who’s ill to see if she needs anything, etc.
Just talking about our problems can help us cope with them.
If nothing else, we can listen and offer advice.”
Member of women’s group, KWFT, Kenya
“The women here have always formed groups to work together and help
each other in times of need. That’s just as important as making money.”
Men speaking to design mission, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
“We don’t think our groups would collapse if KWFT were to stop
giving loans to members. We’re stronger now, thanks to KWFT. We
would probably work out our own ways to get loans. The confidence
we have acquired is probably enough to approach other lending
organizations, even the banks.”
Women leaders of long-established KWFT groups in Kenya
62
Participants at monthly
community work day, Rwanda.
©The Joint Programme
Community infrastructure
management committee, Kenya.
©The Joint Programme