In Kawere village, located in Southwest Nyakach Ward, Elizabeth Ouko, 40, is a beacon of resilience and determination. Alongside her husband George, 50, she has worked tirelessly to provide for their six children, one daughter and five sons, while overcoming numerous challenges. Her journey, deeply rooted in farming, has been transformed by her collaboration with ActionAid Kenya through its implementing partner, the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF). Since 2023, this partnership has brought profound changes to her life and that of her family.
Elizabeth’s transformation began when she attended an economic empowerment training session organized by the Nyakach Local Rights Program (LRP) in partnership with WEF. This training provided her with new insights into agriculture, household resilience, and financial management. Armed with this knowledge, she took the initiative to expand her farming ventures, implementing modern and sustainable agricultural practices that have since uplifted her family’s livelihood.
Today, Elizabeth thrives in agribusiness, cultivating a variety of crops, including sugarcane, sukuma wiki, onions, carrots, cowpeas, pepper, passion fruits, and other vegetables. Her dedication and hard work have not only ensured food security for her family but have also allowed her to generate surplus harvests. The additional income has enabled her to pay for her children’s school fees, improve their home, and invest in farm inputs, bringing greater financial stability to her household.
Elizabeth’s involvement with the Nyakach Women Network, an implementing partner of ActionAid Kenya, has been equally transformative. Through this network, she actively participates in meetings, exchanges ideas with fellow community members, and engages in table banking initiatives. Table banking has become a vital financial resource, allowing her and her peers to save and access loans that have supported the expansion of their agricultural activities. This collective effort has not only empowered Elizabeth but has also strengthened the community’s economic resilience.
Despite her progress, Elizabeth, like many in her community, faces the devastating effects of climate change. The increasing frequency of droughts threatens her crops, jeopardizing both her income and food security. While she has access to water from a borehole, the water-fetching process remains labor-intensive and inefficient, relying on a rope-and-can method. To counter these challenges, she is exploring climate-smart agricultural techniques such as water conservation, drought-resistant crops, and improved irrigation systems to sustain her farming activities.
Through it all, Elizabeth’s commitment to her family’s future remains unwavering. Despite the hardships she faces, she continues to push forward, driven by a deep desire to provide a better life for her children. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that training, community support, and perseverance can have on the resilience of individuals and communities in the face of adversity.
Elizabeth’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of ActionAid Kenya’s programs, which focus on creating sustainable livelihoods and helping communities overcome challenges. With the continued support of organizations like ActionAid Kenya and the collective efforts of women like Elizabeth, the future holds great promise for the people of Nyakach.
Author: Janet Onyango, Community Development Facilitator, Nyakach Local Rights Program, ActionAid Kenya. Edited by Ezra Kiriago ,Communications Coordinator ActionAid Kenya.