Miriam at her Grocery Shop that she started after joining Miangeni VSLA Group

In Miangeni Village, Kiu Sub-location, Makindu, lives 30-year-old Miriam Mutua, a determined farmer and mother of four; two boys and a set of twin girls, between 8-years and 3-years. Like many in Makueni County, Miriam, a house-wife by then, relied on small-scale farming, but the unpredictable rainfall made it difficult for her to get yield enough to feed her family of Six.

Her turning point came in May 2024, when she attended a Fadhili Trust mobilization meeting in her area. The discussions on financial empowerment and group savings inspired her to take a bold step. Together with other community members, in June 2025, she formed Miangeni Village Savings and Loaning Association (VSLA) group. With guidance from a Fadhili Trust officer, members were trained on savings, lending, establishing and managing small businesses.

Miriam took her first loan of Kshs. 3,000, which she used to start a roadside grocery stall. The stall gained rapid popularity among locals, increasing her sales and allowing her to repay her loan within four weeks. Encouraged by her success, she later borrowed Kshs. 8,000 to assist her expand her business.

“Before joining the VSLA, I often struggled to provide for my family and had nowhere to turn to when I needed money except my already overwhelmed husband. Through the group, I’ve learned how to save and access small loans to grow my business. The trainings have opened my eyes, I now know how to plan, budget, and make wise financial decisions,” says the bubbly Miriam.

At the time, Miriam had also taken in her late sister’s son and was struggling to pay school fees. The growing profits from her business made it possible to support all the children’s education and meet her household needs comfortably.

In June 2025, when Miangeni VSLA group completed its first savings cycle, Miriam received a share-out of Ksh. 12,000, a clear reward for her discipline and hard work. She now plans to use the share-out to build a permanent shop to expand and diversify her grocery stall into a larger and more profitable business.

Miriam interrupts, “The support from other women keeps me going; we encourage one another like family. Even when the rains fail or business is slow, our savings help us stay strong. I’ve managed to pay school fees, expand my vegetable stall, and even take part in community training sessions that have improved my farming skills.”

Miriam joyfully credits God and the Fadhili Trust program for opening a new chapter in her life. Her journey from uncertainty to self-reliance demonstrates how community savings groups can transform livelihoods and empower families toward a more secure future. All these has been made possible by support from our partners Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB) and Tearfund Canada under Climate Smart Food Security Project.

“Most importantly, I now have a stronger voice in my home and in the group. My husband and I make financial decisions together, and I feel more confident about the future. The VSLA has truly changed how I think, plan, and live my day-to-day life,” adds Miriam as she smiles brightly, radiating contentment and hope of the current and future life.

Anna happily storing her harvested sorghum, maize, green grams and cowpeas in her granary

In the heart of Boma-4 Village in Kiu Sub-location- Makindu Ward, Makueni County, lives Anna Mutunga, a farmer whose story mirrors the transformation that Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) brings to semi-arid communities.

For years, Anna depended on planting hybrid maize, an expensive crop that demanded costly inputs and yielded little in the face of prolonged drought and erratic rainfall. The hard work rarely paid off, and feeding her family became a constant struggle. Everything began to change when Anna joined Smart Farmers Village Savings and Lending Association (VSLA) group supported by Fadhili Trust. Through CSA training, she learned how to make farming more productive, sustainable, and less dependent on the unpredictable weather.

“My granary was once filled with old, broken household items. Today, it stores my farm harvest including greengrams, maize, cowpeas and sorghum, enough proof that change is possible,” she says with pride, showing her neatly stored grains, crops she learned to grow and preserve through CSA practices.

Thriving with a Kitchen Garden

To reduce the cost of buying vegetables, Anna established a 5m × 2m size kitchen garden, producing around Four kilograms of vegetables weekly. Using recycled gray water, organic compost, and mulching, she now grows a variety of organic vegetables even during the dry season.

Prior to establishing a kitchen garden, Anna would spend approximately Kshs.100 per day on average on vegetables for a family of 5-members, making it Kshs.700 per week. She now saves the Kshs.700 that she would have used to buy vegetables and diverts it to her VSLA group, helping her build resilience and financial security. With the success of her garden, she plans to expand production and sell vegetables to neighbors, turning her backyard into a small agribusiness.

Chicken Rearing for Food and Income

Anna also ventured into chicken rearing, keeping 25 layers and 2 cocks. Her flock produces an average of 13 eggs a day, earning her about Ksh 2,700 monthly from sales, while still keeping enough for family consumption.

She practices organic poultry management, using herbal remedies like neem and pawpaw leaves instead of antibiotics and formulates local feeds from sorghum and greens. The chicken manure enriches her kitchen garden, closing the loop in a sustainable farming system.

Building Resilience through Climate-Smart Practices

Anna’s homestead today stands as a model of climate resilience and innovation. Around her compound, nothing goes to waste. She carefully composts kitchen scraps and chicken manure to enrich her soil, turning everyday waste into valuable fertilizer. A 1,000-litre tank collects rainwater from her rooftop, ensuring she has water to irrigate her garden even during dry spells. She has also embraced agroforestry, planting ten Moringa trees and other fodder trees that improve soil health and provide shade for her livestock. In her garden, Anna alternates leafy vegetables with legumes to conserve moisture and restore soil fertility. Though she still faces challenges such as limited water during the dry months and occasional poultry diseases, Anna remains hopeful and determined — a living example of how resilience can flourish even in harsh conditions.

A Brighter Tomorrow

Through support from Fadhili Trust with support from TearFund Canada and Canadian Food Grain Bank (CFGB), Anna has transformed her small farm into a hub of innovation and learning. Her journey from dependency to self-reliance demonstrates how climate-smart farming and community savings can empower rural families to thrive even in challenging environments.

“I now grow my food, sell the surplus, and save every month, my life has changed for the better,” says Anna with a beaming smile.

After losing her job during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Mercy Nkirote spent several years as a housewife, feeling isolated and financially dependent on her husband. Her life took a new turn in January 2025 when a friend encouraged her to join the Kyeni Kya Ngumbe Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group in Kibwezi.

Through the group, Mercy gained not only financial support but also social connection. With a small loan, she started a car wash business, investing in building materials, a car washing machine, and even creating employment for a young man. Alongside this venture, she has grown her flock of ducks from five to fifteen.

Now financially independent, Mercy contributes meaningfully to her household expenses, easing the burden on her husband and boosting her own confidence. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her business by setting up a fast-food joint next to her car wash.

Mercy encourages other women and men not to remain idle, but to seize every opportunity, no matter how small, as a stepping stone toward growth and independence.