Testimonials

A POWERFULL DEVELOPMENT TOOL .

In Karabuor village, North-Sakwa Ward, Bondo sub- County, lives a 54 year old woman  Mary Jacklyn, she is a mother of five children  (2M 3F) one of whom is a CALHIV OVC who is studying at Kamnara secondary school. Both she and her first child face health issues, making her life even tougher but her spirit remains to be unbreakable.

Jacklyn who is a secretary of Sudo Ngima SILC group has had difficult life before the year 2024, her life was a constant struggle and things were not working out for her. She runs a second hand clothes’ store at Barkober market in North Sakwa to make ends meet for her family members, in 2024 the stock was small which resulted in the business being on and off most of the time. The little amount of 180/= daily earned was used in meeting her family needs leaving her with nothing to re-invest in her business. Saving money for Jacklyn was also not easy, but things changed when SCORE Kenya gave Sudo Ngima SILC group a loan kitty boost of 50,000/=.

The big change came after SCORE boosted the group’s loan kitty from 59,135/=to 109,135/=, Jacklyn took a loan of 18,000/= and improved her second hand clothes stock. This boost helped her stabilize her income, ensuring her family was well-fed and allowing her to save extra money back in the group. Jacklyn’s dreams began to take shape. By July 2025, 7 months later she was not only selling second hand clothes but also selling shoes, sodas and tailoring clothes all thanks to financial literacy, small business management skills and loan usage trainings coupled with loan boost  which she received from SCORE staffs during  the groups training  which made her take a different route in her business.

Jacklyn practices good record keeping which helps her know whether she is moving forward or backwards. Her saving has increased from 100/= per meeting to 250/=, this has made her the best in terms of saving in a group of 15members.  Come share out she managed to take home 33,170/= which she used in the purchase of 100 chickens that made her practice poultry farming in a big way.

Jaclyn’s story doesn’t end with financial stability, she also started a kitchen garden, which now provides her family with fresh, healthy vegetables. From the kitchen garden she does seed bulking of spring onions as one of income streams. This simple powerful change has improved their family’s overall health and diet.

Jacklyn’s journey from struggling to thrive is truly inspiring, the story shows that with little support and education anyone can come out of poverty and create a brighter future. In the small village of Karabuor, Jacklyn stands out as a beacon of hope, strength, and the amazing power of change.

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Jaclyn feeding her birds, while in the middle photo she is selling spring onion seedlings to group members and other farmers lastly she is in her shop arranging her second hand clothes at her boutique.

                          HARD WORK, DETERMINATION AND KNOWLEDGE PROPELLED FLORENCE TO SUCCESSÂ

Florence Odind is one of the caregivers from Nyaolo Mowuok Widows SILC group based in Madungu Village in Sigomre Ward, Ugunja Sub-County, Siaya County. She is a widow aged 48 years, with six children and 3 grandchildren.Â

Mrs. Odind joined Nyaolo Mowuok Widows SILC group in 2020. Before joining the SILC group, she used to make baskets and sell. Initially, she used to make 3 to 5 baskets a month due to inadequate materials and she would get an average income of 200 to 500 shillings per month which was not enough to educate her children. At times she could consume everything from her sales and be left with nothing for a period of time before resuming the business.

Mrs. Odind heard of SILC group from her neighbor and she showed interest of joining. After the groups screening they offered her a chance and she became a member at Nyaolo Mowuok Widows SILC group. During her 1^st share out she received   Kshs. 2,455. The little amount received during share-out was due to financial constraints, which made her not to be consistent in saving during group meetings.

SCORE came in handy, with financial education and business management to the group  using Ostrii platform animation this helped group members including her to increase their savings borrow wisely and invest in profitable business SCORE  also gave the group loan kitty boost of 50,000 shillings which boosted their capacity to borrow and expand business  After the training, she changed her saving culture and business management skills by saving 200  from 100 shillings per meeting  this enabled  her to get a loan of 14,000 shillings which assisted  her boost her stock by purchasing  more materials for making baskets. She increased her stock from 5 to 15 baskets in various sizes in a month with the prices ranging from 100-450 shillings. She would sell all the baskets and continue adding more. Her savings increased from 200 to 500 shillings and also her profits increased from 400 to 1000 shillings per week which helped her in feeding her family, paying school fees and saving the surplus. During share out in 2023, she received 25,000 shillings.

 In the following year, SCORE gave 25 groups loan kitty boost and Nyaolo Mowuok was one of the groups selected again and given a loan of 50,000 shillings for the second time. As such, Florence benefitted from the loan kitty boost by taking a loan of 20,000 shillings from the group and increased her stock again. She increased the baskets from 15 to 30 in a month. In addition to that, she purchased vegetable seeds for vegetable farming as well as small grocery. She did this to solve the problem of malnutrition as well as increase her income. She planted several vegetables like, spinach, kales, spider plant, amaranth, Africa black night shade and ‘mito’ and tomatoes. Her vegetable sale was marvelous as from a small plot of less than ten by ten meters she could sell twice a week and in the selling days she could make an average of 1,000 to 1200 shillings. Her income from the baskets also increased because of the increased number of baskets she was making in a month from an average of 3,000 to 4,500 shillings a month. In a month therefore Florence would make an average of 7,000 to 8,000 shillings profit from the vegetables and baskets businesses.

She is now saving with a goal, to be the main supplier of vegetables and baskets in Madungu. By the time SCORE’S Project Field Assistant visited the group during the share out, Florence received Kshs 55,340. Florence is a very happy member and for her the sky is the limit

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                                                     Florence Odindo making baskets, displaying the ready ones in her kiosk and harvesting spinach from her kitchen garden respectively.