Stories from the field
Celestine Nguna, a Mombasa resident, has over the last 6 years been a beneficiary of Equity Group Foundation’s programs through which she has gained valuable skills in Digital Literacy, Entrepreneurship and Mentorship. Recently she started her own supply business offering construction and cleaning services under the trading name `African Memsap Technologies’ creating employment opportunities for young people and women. “I gained confidence, and have been able to manage my business better. The training enlightened me and I now run my business with a lot of seriousness and confidence”, she says.
Wayne Jotham Gakuo, from Mombasa, started in Equity Group Foundation’s Wings to Fly’ program when he was just 16. After his father passed away in 2010, his mum had issues with paying school fees for his high school education. “My greatest challenge was to overcome the fear of failure since I used to think of myself as an average student.” he said. “I used to compare myself to high achieving students in my class and therefore was in constant competition with them trying to see how I can be better than them.” Now, at age 24, Wayne has overcome this challenge to become a better version of himself. Wayne recently graduated from Ashesi University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and is looking forward to working with developer communities in Kenya, seeking to empower other Kenyan youth with Software Development skills.
Susan Mumo Kimanzi hails from Kitui and is a member of Ngwani WFP Group and a beneficiary of Equity Group Foundation’s Financial Literacy Training. She wanted to learn how to plan her finances including borrowing. Before the training she explained how she had acquired a loan from a local commercial bank without a clear consideration of her income. She was glad that the training exposed her to questions that borrowers should be asking themselves before taking loans.
Lantaine ene Samperu is a Maasai mother of two and a member of Oltarakwai Women Group. She runs a Maasai beaded clothes and milk business from her home in Kajiado, Kenya. Her daily responsibilities include tending to household chores, milking her husband’s cows and delivering milk to the local dairy co-operative. She and fellow co-operative members joined Equity Group Foundation’s Financial Education training program to learn budgeting, savings, financial services and debt management skills. From the training, Lantaine has been able to save enough money to build her family a better house. “I am considered a role model because as a member of Maasai Women Dairy Cooperative Ltd. I have constructed my house thanks to the training.” says Lantaine.
Priscilla Akong’o Odengo hails from Eldama Ravine. She enrolled in Equity Group Foundations’ Digital Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Business Planning, Governance, E-Record keeping, and E-Marketing training program. She had her own business but due to low sales, raising working capital for the business was a challenge. Today, Pam Automotives’ is in addition an online business, whose customer numbers have significantly grown. Today, Priscilla provides employment to five people; 2 permanent and 3 part-time. Priscilla says, “Equity Group Foundation changed my life and my business. The Digital Literacy training I received and the mentorships that followed made me move from analogue to digital and has seen my business grow.”
Newton Kinyua is a 23 year-old Miomboni resident, in Tharaka-Nithi County. Through Equity Group Foundation’s Financial Access to SMEs and Rural Population in Agriculture program, Kinyua accessed two loans that allowed him to profitably run a sorghum agribusiness. Kinyua is currently undertaking a diploma in procurement and logistics management at Chuka University.
Joel Nzuna is a farmer and adult learner from Machakos County. He produces maize, beans, fruits, livestock and other products. He faced a challenge in effectively planning his resources and debt management skills. Joe joined Equity Group Foundation’s financial literacy program, whose training provided him with vital skills to set and plan for his goals. He is now able to plan his income and has suitable knowledge on how to handle debts. He says, “After the training, I felt positive, I can now plan for my finances well and the debt burden is no more.” His improved financial management skills have enabled him to save and generate more funds for farming.
Simion Makokha is a Florist based in Nairobi City Centre. With no savings and additional income, he longed for rewarding income. Being a florist was hard and unpredictable. Simon joined Equity Group Foundation’s entrepreneur training where he learned how to make his business grow and how to budget for his income as a serious issue. “With the help from our trainer, we managed to form a strong cohesive group of other people like me and we learned about our long term and short term goals in life which have helped us develop good money management skills coupled with a saving culture,” Simon explains.
David Okinyi is a 23-year old and from Migori, Kenya. He started with Equity Group Foundation’s `Wings to Fly’ Program with MasterCard Foundation when he was 18 years old. David says being a Wings to Fly Scholar has ushered in a new world for him of always yearning to achieve more and positively impacted others’ lives. David graduated on 6th May 2019 with BSc in Economics and B.A in Business (Global Politics) and will be continuing with his Master’s in Finance at Arizona State University in the US.