"Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person." Mother Teresa

"Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person." Mother Teresa

KENYAN WOMEN'S GROUPS

Tears of Women, a Community-Based Organization (CBO)

The Village Net partnered with Tears of Women (TOW) to launch its microloan program in Mwaani. A community-based organization is composed of representatives from many women's groups, which are generally formed around a type of work (weaving, tree-planting, poultry, etc.) TOW has representatives from 11 of these women's groups. The smaller groups have been practicing merry-go-rounds, which are a simplified type of microloan. Women save a designated amount every week, and the group awards the collected money as a loan to one of the members. These loans have been given at very little interest for periods of up to one year.

Tears of Women is highly organized, with representatives elected every 3 years. With its approximately 300 members, TOW offers a good training audience. They currently provide basic business training, and have offered classes related to HIV/AIDs education. TOW operates a small shop in Makueni where client products (baskets and handbags) are offered for sale. Some poverty alleviation training is offered through the Mwaani Catholic Church.

We found the Mwaani residents to be hardworking and optimistic. But the climate fails them, and the hope for rain is constant. Women run small businesses, and the men look for day jobs (digging, harvesting, making bricks). Of course, the infrastructure needs around water, power and sanitation are great. We are working with Tears of Women to prioritize these needs and start developing solutions.

Emayian Women, a Community-Based Organization (CBO)

Emayian Women was registered at the Narok district level in 2007. Members are Maasai pastoralist women located in Narok North, Enoosupukia and Suswa. This district has a population of 365,750.

Emayian Women currently has 100 members. An additional 900 women live in 3 villages near the Suswa sub-location. LIteracy among the women is very low. All resources are owned by men, so women have been denied involvement in development initiatives. Our borrowers say that "women..are culturally considered as children." The CBO was formed to empower women and enable them to expand their businesses. As women have sole responsibility for household budgets, this initiative is considered critical.

The CBO currently operates a curio shop, from which members sell their beaded products, textiles and baskets. As the recent drop in tourism has shown, this is a tenuous venture with no real possibilities for sustainability. The women are interested in raising their own cattle and other animals (as men currently own the livestock and resulting profits).