July 18, 2015 Scholar Coordinator and mentor, Catherine, Kaimenyi, led a project visit to PATHWAYS scholar Catherine Kabaire’s project in Nakuru. They were accompanied by PATHWAYS scholar Eunita Akim and Emory University MPH students, Megan Light and Nicole Janes.Catherine’s project has seventeen members. The Chairlady of the group, Joyce, reported that Catherine Kabaire mobilized them to form this group in 2013. This was welcomed because they were a stigmatized group due to their single status. The local culture favors married adults. The group has offered the young single persons social support, training on income generation and a sense that they matter in the society.
Several quotes from the group members are listed below:
Lucy states, “The table banking helped us to get money to start our small businesses. I sell eggs and chicken as a business. I use the money to buy other foodstuffs, this gives my family a balanced diet.”
Beatrice says, ” I sell charcoal using soft money from table banking.”
Ann reports that, “Table banking has helped me lease land where I plant vegetables for sale. I educate my children using this. We also have good food since 2013.”
Ann added, “With table banking, I started business of selling uji (Porridge and Madazi).
Benson, one of the few males in the group, told the visitors “I am like a marketing manager to the group. I go selling the group liquid soap, antiseptics, bags to schools and other institutions. We cannot meet the demand for soap. I also take the bags to functions where prominent people have meetings. I used table banking money to buy a bicycle to use for transport.”
Catherine (PATHWAYS scholar) proudly declared, “Out of the project, I have become a leader, a mentor, a great organizer and mobilizer.”
The group had several questions to ask the two Emory MPH students, Nicole and Megan, as they do not often get the opportunity to visit with visitors from the U.S. All questions were graciously answered. All in all it was a very successful project visit.
