A world of difference said with a smile

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A story of Agnes Kalimi Munywoki

 Made possible by BRAC and CARE Kenya – PROFIT project. 

Agnes at the beginning of the Graduation program in 2017
In the sleepy market town of Gai, Agnes’ small shop and hotel serve to bring the community together, and weary travelers and villagers alike have a place to sip tea, buy commodities and chit-chat with the locals who gather there.

A smile says it all
Agnes said there was a time when she did not smile, for she felt she had nothing to smile for. This has all changed since she joined the PROFIT Financial Graduation Program in 2017. The Program, implemented by CARE International with technical guidance from BRAC, provided Agnes with basic training on business management and seed capital to start her business. Now a proud business owner, Agnes continues to improve the hotel she runs and makes improvements on her home, something she is fiercely proud of. “Previously my confidence was very low, and I was embarrassed of my home.”

A family affair
No longer having to rely on casual labor to support their seven children, Agnes and her husband, along with help from their oldest daughter, run their businesses as a family. When Agnes is tending her shop, her husband is usually either off caring for their goats or lends a helping hand washing dishes in the back of the hotel and her daughter helps with the bookkeeping after school. Just like before, they continue to discuss and make joint decisions for the household and business ventures.

“Since the start of my involvement in this program, there is more love between my husband and I.” she says. Agnes also received a monthly stipend of 1,500 Ksh ($15 USD) for the first six months of the program that enabled her to feed her family and focus on growing the business.

Someone to look up to
Agnes used to keep to herself and felt very removed from society around her. Not only is her shop located at the center of a tiny market town, but people now visit her for things beyond the physical retail: they come to her because they now look up to her. “Neighbors come to visit me, borrowing things and money when they need it.”

Agnes with her children after the start of her business in 2018
She gives advice to her peers who are also in the program to work hard and encourages them to hit their savings and Graduation targets. This social empowerment aspect of a participant’s upward trajectory is an important piece of the program, and serves to represent a key indicator in their future success within a community. 

Tending the produce stand in the center of Gai town
“If there is an emergency or drought, I know that my savings with the Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA) will be able to cover any loss.” By requiring participants to acquire at least two different streams of income, the Graduation program promotes resilience against future shocks, particularly in drought-prone areas like those of arid and semi- arid (ASAL) land in Kenya.

Through the Graduation Program, Agnes also receives regular coaching by a trusted mentor who discusses best business practices, social and health issues with her, and provides her with continued support and encouragement.

Agnes now has a plan for her future and knows what she has to do to achieve it. She wants to invest in the hotel and make it look more attractive so that she can bring in more customers. She also wants to expand her shop and sell in markets in the surrounding area.


 ABOUT PROFIT GRADUATION PROJECT


The Program for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovations and Technologies (PROFIT) Graduation is a pilot-project funded by Government of Kenya (GOK) in partnership with the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD) was set up and rolled out at the beginning of 2017 and expected to run till the end of 2019. The project is being implemented by CARE International in Kenya (CIK) since September 2016 to address the endemic poverty levels in targeted zones, and will be working with 1,000 beneficiary households during the 2 year pilot phase.

The project works towards identifying, engaging, developing and selecting ultra-poor youth and women beneficiaries to experience a social economic transformation from their current situation of poverty and vulnerability to the place of resilience and food sufficiency. 

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