Florence Jeptekei and her pigs.
Florence Jeptekei, Beatrice Tengan, and Richard Simatwa own a piggery together. They used their Village Enterprise grant funded by the Singal Foundation to begin a small garden, where they raised tomatoes and greens.
They sold the produce and used their savings to purchase the profitable pigs. When asked how their lives have changed since they started the business, they instantly begin sharing various examples.
Richard mentioned that he is now able to pay for school fees and uniforms so that his children can go to school. He also saved enough money to pay for his son’s wedding.
“We used to be weak and tired,” Florence explains, “and now we have energy.”
When everyone at home is able to eat enough, tensions cease and people are able to focus on other things. This transformation is one of the most important because it enables people to build their businesses rather than worry about where to find their next meal.
In fact, one person we spoke to mentioned that there was no longer any time for gossip. She said that people used to congregate during the day to spread rumors, but due to their businesses, they no longer have time to engage in time-wasting activities!
These tangible transformations are common amongst the business groups funded by the Singal Foundation in this small village in Northern Kenya.