WOMEN BUSINESS HUB -KENYA

Trade Over Aid (TOA) is Women Business Hub’s practical pathway from aid-dependency to trade-driven dignity. In Kisumu, TOA is implemented in partnership with Inua Village SACCO (IVS) – Kisumu Branch. Women Business Hub leads community mobilization, mentorship, and enterprise training for young women entrepreneurs and non-binary youth, while IVS provides the regulated financial rails: member onboarding, passbooks, share capital, and safe savings channels via mobile money and in-branch services. This partnership operationalizes TOA’s model: mobilize youth cohorts, help them formalize membership (registration and passbooks), build ownership (share capital), and cultivate continuous savings habits aligned to enterprise goals. The SACCO’s cooperative structure protects member funds and fosters disciplined growth; WBH’s mentorship and market-linkages translate that savings into enterprise resilience and revenue. Participation and gender engagement in TOA (Kisumu, Sep–Dec 2025) Between ...

  For over a decade, Risper Auma walked the streets of Kisumu selling fresh vegetables from a woven basket. Each day began before sunrise, and every coin she earned was carefully tucked away—not just for survival, but for a dream. She envisioned a home of her own, a place where her children could grow up with dignity and stability. Risper Auma joined a local savings and credit cooperative society , where she began contributing small amounts weekly. Through discipline and determination, she built up her savings and eventually qualified for a loan. With that support, she purchased a modest piece of land and began building her home—brick by brick, hope by hope. Today, Risper Auma stands proudly in her garden, feeding chickens beside the house she built. Her children are thriving in school, with graduation just around the corner. But Risper Auma’s story doesn’t end with her own success. She is now a community mentor with Women Business Hub , guiding other women through the journe...

    Omondi never imagined that the rabbits he once kept for fun would become the key to rebuilding his future. Growing up in rural Kenya , his favorite subject in school was agriculture . He loved learning about animals, crops, and the rhythms of the land. But when the time came to join high school, financial hardship closed that door. With no scholarship and no fees, Omondi stayed home—disappointed, but not defeated. “I started rearing rabbits for fun ,” he recalls. “Just like having a pet.” At first, it was a way to stay busy, a quiet joy in the midst of uncertainty. He built simple cages, fed his rabbits with greens from the garden, and watched them multiply. But everything changed the day a friend invited him to a youth meeting organized by Women Business Hub . “I was shocked to learn that rabbits can be raised for making money,” Omondi says. That moment sparked something in him. He didn’t have the capital to start large-scale farming , but he had rabbits—and a n...

In a shaded outdoor setting filled with anticipation and reflection, Women Business Hub (WBH) convened an open forum designed to engage Adolescent and Young People (AYP) who had recently completed their secondary education. The gathering, held under the trees beside a community building, brought together a diverse group of young individuals seated in semi-circles—some fresh from high school, others preparing for the next chapter in college. This was more than a meeting; it was a moment of collective pause, a bridge between adolescence and adulthood, and a space for honest dialogue about dreams, uncertainties, and possibilities. The forum’s primary goal was to help AYPs articulate their expectations and anxieties as they transitioned from the structured life of high school into the open terrain of adulthood. WBH facilitators encouraged participants to share their hopes, fears, and questions about the future. These conversations revealed a rich tapestry of ambition—from aspirations to ...

  For over a decade, Jared Owino , a university graduate and father of six, searched tirelessly for formal employment. Each year brought new applications, interviews, and disappointments. But the breakthrough he longed for wasn’t in an office — it was waiting for him at home. In 2022, Jared’s wife Judith , a resilient vegetable vendor and member of a local women’s savings group, introduced him to the Women Business Hub (WBH). She had a vision: to turn their backyard pig pen into a thriving enterprise. With her encouragement, Jared agreed to manage the farm full-time. Using Judith’s savings and a US$2,000 loan facilitated through WBH’s Trade Over Aid Initiative , they launched JJ-Pig Farm . What began with a handful of piglets quickly grew into a disciplined, high-yield operation. Jared brought structure, record-keeping, and daily oversight. Judith handled feed sourcing, budgeting, and reinvestment. Together, they built a business rooted in trust, grit, and shared purpose. By ...

   In the heart of Kisumu , where the clang of metal often echoes the rhythm of men at work, 27-year-old Brenda Awino is rewriting the script. While many of her peers gravitated toward careers in beauty therapy , hospitality , or salon work —paths often deemed “suitable” for women—Brenda chose the fire, grit, and precision of welding . Her decision wasn’t just about passion. It was about purpose. “What men can do, women can do too,” Brenda says, her voice steady with conviction. “I want to break the status quo—where women are categorized only as beauty pageants. The world needs bold and courageous women. I am one of them.” Brenda’s journey began with a single spark—literally. Watching a welder craft a steel door outside her neighborhood, she saw not just metal being shaped, but opportunity. She enrolled in a local technical training program , often the only woman in her class, and faced skepticism from instructors and peers alike. But Brenda didn’t flinch. She welded thro...

  My name is James Kozi , a 23-year-old from Kisumu . I grew up as an orphan under the care of my grandmother in Ugenya . After her passing, I faced rejection from my uncles, who sent me away to search for a father I had never known. With nowhere else to turn, I moved to Kisumu in search of work. It was a difficult time, as I had no qualifications and opportunities were scarce. It was during this struggle that I encountered the Women Business Hub through their Trade Over Aid (TOA) Initiative . At first, I was skeptical. What kept me attending their meetings was something simple—tea and mandazi , which at least gave me a meal. Over time, however, I became inspired by listening to others share their stories of resilience and hope. I realized I, too, could build a future for myself. I chose a simple idea: becoming a barber . What started as curiosity soon grew into passion. The TOA team mentored me, arranged an attachment where I learned professional shaving skills, and provided...

When Dorcas first walked into the Women Business Hub orientation, she carried more than just hope—she carried the weight of responsibility. With two young children depending on her, and a dream of running her own shop, the Ksh 50,000 loan was more than money; it was a lifeline. She remembers the first day vividly: sitting in the financial literacy session, learning how to budget and save. Signing the loan agreement felt like signing a promise to her children—that life would change. With her first tranche of Ksh 15,000 , Dorcas stocked sugar, soap, and maize flour . Each sale was a step closer to dignity. Within weeks, she was repaying faithfully. But more importantly, she was proving to herself that she could manage credit responsibly. When she qualified for the second tranche , Dorcas expanded into farming inputs . Neighbors began to rely on her shop not just for household goods, but for seeds and fertilizer that sustained their families. Her progress report wasn’t just number...