In 2018, with the support and guidance of World Renew Kenya, eight male and sixteen female residents of the Emkwen Village community started a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA). The VSLA members, aged 21 to 56 years, attend bi-weekly meetings and contribute a minimum of KES 200 ($1.49 US) monthly towards the group’s savings pool.

Before they joined the VSLA, most members did not have a clear saving process. But the group has shown significant growth over the last few years and the members are all reaping the benefits of contributing regularly to the group savings pool, which has now grown enough that members can access low-interest loans.

Millicent Ruto, a mother of four children, runs an agrovet shop in her village to sell farm items such seeds and tools to local farmers. Through the VSLA, she has been able to access a loan to invest in her business and help support her family.

Millicent explains, “The VSLA has helped me and my family in different ways. I have been able to access loans that have enabled me to construct our family house, pay school fees for my three children . . . and pay casual laborers working on my farm.”

Before membership in the VSLA, members found it very difficult to access loans through formal financial institutions due to long processes and requirements of collaterals. “VSLA models have been designed to allow members to have a place to save their money, access loans, and obtain emergency insurance,” explains Evans Limo, the group chairman, who feels blessed that a VSLA loan has allowed him to cover school fees and other education expenses for his two children.

Thank you for your gifts that help families like those in the Emkwen Village community VSLA to journey to income stability.