Caring for One Another in Migori
A vegetable stall in western Kenya becomes a space for dignity and shared strength.
Lavinda was doing everything she could to provide for her family in Migori, Kenya. She took on odd jobs around town, but steady income was difficult to find, and paying school fees for her children felt uncertain. When her daughter, Blessing, was born prematurely, Lavinda faced new and unexpected challenges, including concerns about how to care for a child with ongoing medical needs.
Members of her community took notice. Word spread among local women that the new mother needed support, and Silpher, the chair of a newly formed women’s group, reached out to Lavinda with an invitation to join them. The group, Lengo Tahidi Women’s Group, was built on women supporting one another by pooling their limited resources, sharing knowledge, and standing together during difficult moments. Lavinda accepted the invitation, finding not only practical help but a sense of belonging.
In 2022, one of the women in Lengo Tahidi discovered Right Sharing of World Resources online. The group—already practicing collective saving and mutual support—applied for a RSWR grant. This marked the beginning of a partnership grounded in collaboration. RSWR Country Coordinators visited the group and offered training in business practices, financial management, and group dynamics.
Through this partnership, the women strengthened their table banking system, in which each member contributes a small monthly amount that is loaned to individuals within the group. Once the group demonstrated strong financial management, RSWR provided a grant that allowed members to take larger loans to invest in their businesses. All funds, including loan repayments, interest, and emergency savings, are owned, managed, and tracked by the group itself.
Today, Lengo Tahidi Women’s Group provides a safety net and a foundation for growth. When illness prevents a woman from repaying a loan, the group can draw on its emergency fund so she can recover without falling into debt. When a business is lost to fire or hardship, the group can decide together how to support rebuilding. As Silpher shared, “As women, when we come together, great things happen.”
P.S. – Lengo Tahidi Women’s Group has completed its formal partnership with RSWR. As recently as 2025, Country Coordinators from across the globe visited the group and witnessed its continued vitality. The visitors heard directly from the group’s members about their successes, challenges, and dreams for the future.
