Although Eunice had a job working as a pharmacy cashier, she still struggled to break her poverty cycle and could never earn enough to save.
She was merely surviving, not thriving.
But then her friend told her about Milele’s Group Savings and Loans (GS&L) program back in 2016.
At first, she was hesitant. She had always been wary of joining a “chama” (savings group) because the community was rife with stories of people losing their money in savings schemes. But when she joined, she quickly realised it was run differently to what she was familiar with, and there was a focus on providing quality leadership to business-owners. That was almost unheard of in Kisumu!
Later that year, Eunice decided to start an Mpesa shop (mobile phone shop). She used her savings at the end of the GS&L cycle to build a kiosk and set up an Mpesa till. She now earns a commission of US$100-$120 monthly (AU$142 – $170), which she is more than double what she had earned in her paid employment! She is also able to meet the float minimums set by the service providers by borrowing from the GS&L group whenever she needs to.
Eunice has earned a considerable nest and is getting guidance from Milele on recruiting and training employees as she plans to start a family.
Thank you for making this possible for Eunice!