Kambati Farmers Self Hep Group; a SACDEP Kenya farmer group, is one of the farmer groups that has turned around the lives of many through Bank Without Walls savings and loaning scheme. SACDEP Kenya is amember organization for PELUM Kenya.
SACDEP Kenya started working with the group on July 2015 and have trained the group on group savings and loaning, leadership an record management, the regional Project coordinator- Mr. Ndengwa explains.
In an interview, one of the group members Ms. Margaret Wanjuki acknowledged that through the Bank Without Walls savings and loaning scheme, there has been myrad of benefits accrued from the support. Further, Ms. Wanjuki explained that through the project, she also learnt about organic agriculture which has increased her income levels and she has been able to keep her savings growing. Through the credit facility, Ms. Wanjuki has been able to get loans for paying school fees to her children. She also got a loan to hire people and dig a well and the water well has helped her grow vegetables throughout the year. Through the vegetables, she saves KShs 150 on a weekly basis and also sells vegetables worth KShs 250 on a daily basis. Through the scheme, she has also bought four dairy goats and 150 indigenous chicken.
To date she has a saving of KShs. 23,500 which allows her to borrow up to KShs. 60,000. The group has grown over KShs. 300,000 within a period of one year, she happily explains.
Before we started collaborating with SACDEP Kenya, my son dropped out of school while in form three due to lack of school fees, but now this will never happen again as all my children are in school and their fees are well catered for, she testifies.