It is scotching hot when I wade through the narrow pathways in Kayole. I am determined to get to this woman, Ms. Eshal (not her real name), whose life has been transformed. I get her in high spirits. “My life was a mess when I arrived in Kenya as a refugee from Congo”. She begins the narration, and drifts to the painful past. “I left Congo due to the ethnic war which claimed many of my family members and relatives. I had to leave with my children; a son and daughter. My son has dementia, a disease which has no cure according to the doctor. It is very painful to watch my son live with a condition which has no cure. I was stressed and without financial support”.
“I was running a business of selling peanuts (Njugu), Kashata, Mabuyu and ice cream. But this business was not sustainable. Since I did not have a fridge, the kashata and ice cream could get spoilt very fast resulting in a loss. I was also selling from an open makeshift (kibanda) and children could come and steal my products. I needed to take care of my basic needs including food, rent, medical care and security. My sick son needed my attention throughout because with dementia he could get lost. I really wanted to talk to someone. That’s when I got referred to the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) by a neighbor. She indicated, RCK supports refugees.
The first thing I got when I joined the End Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) project was counselling. I had so much going on and I was glad someone was there to listen. I then got selected to join the economic entrepreneurship program where we got trained on business skills. After this, I came up with a business plan which was approved for funding by RCK. I got my seed grant in May 2021. RCK did not give me cash, instead, they bought for me the things I needed for the business. This included, sewing machine, vitenge materials, working table, scissors, iron box, and sewing needles. They only gave me cash for transporting the items to my shop. I had identified the location for the business, and they paid rent for Ksh 4000. This helped my business idea to set off and I did not have to struggle with the capital”.
“I am now able to pay rent, I have increased the stock, and also save some profits. I can say I have not gotten all that I need but I thank God for what I have been getting, it is sustainable and I am hopeful that I will be able to cater for all my needs in the long run.”
