MaMa Doing Good

Jamhuri Day, Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Jamhuri Day, Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Happy Jamuhuri Day

Joyful Women 16th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebrations, Kasarani, Nairobi. #JoyfulAt16 x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Final rehearsals and final touches. We can’t wait to celebrate the women who have carried this movement for 16 years.

Celebrating 16 Years of Women Empowerment. #JoyfulAt16

The table banking concept and its philosophy is all about going to the unreached, to the excluded financially and for us at Joyful Women, it was the women of this country. We went down to the rural areas, to the villages, to teach women about issues of financial inclusion.

The thing about commercial loans is that I think there was a concept that people started fearing, especially the farmers. People really feared loans because they imagined that if I took a loan and I am not able to repay, something of mine might be repossessed.

What has surprised me so much is the exponential growth. When we began with very few women, we thought it could remain there. Little did we know that this concept of table banking is what the people were waiting for. It came to fill a gap ~ Her Excellency Mama Rachel Ruto

The challenges that I saw those days were when I personally went to the rural areas and to the communities, training the women on the concept of table banking, you are not sure whether this woman would receive it. Issues of money are very emotive;

Financial literacy was an issue that we had to address. We partnered with organisations that specialise in financial literacy and approached different banks, asking them to join us on the ground. They then started training women in financial literacy.

I am so excited and I thank God every time I think about the 16 years we are celebrating. Joyful Women Organization was started on 29th August 2009, under this tree where we are today ~ Her Excellency Mama Rachel Ruto #JoyfulAt16

I attended a meeting where one lady who is differently abled, put her hand up because she wanted to give her story. When she gave her story, we realized that in that county, she was the highest saver.

Going forward, I am looking at building the next captains of industry, the next entrepreneurs, building the next billionaires in this country.

Table banking is also for the young girls. Even in our groups of table banking today, we have young girls. We have gone digital. I want to tell our young girls that they should not be left behind.

Beyond finance we support women in conservation activities that protect ecosystems and livelihoods — planting trees, water harvesting and climate-smart farming.

Tune in

Training changes lives. Over 16 years we’ve run courses in entrepreneurship, leadership, modern agriculture and digital skills — partnering with organisations to upskill members. Skills + confidence = impact.

Training, markets, leadership and conservation — this celebration honours every part of our journey. Are you excited? #JoyfulAt16

Celebrating 16 Years of Women Empowerment #JoyfulAt16