Patrick Onyancha moved from his rural village in Kisii to Nairobi to look for work as it is customary for many rural youth as they finish high school. It was very difficult to “get a job” Patrick recalls. It took several months doing any menial job that he could find to support himself and his family back in the village. It wasn’t long before he was told of an opportunity to be a watchman at a local church, which he promptly applied and got. Patrick has been working there for over 3 years now making less than $60 a month.

When he heard about Opening Village Doors® from Mama Kapante who is also a beneficially of the organization, he approached the Kenya team. He received a loan of $350 to start a charcoal and vegetable stand in Ngong market and his business is doing well. Patrick says, ” I can now be able to take care of my family and build a strong future for my son” Because Patrick works at night; he employs one person to help him with selling and stocking.

Mrs. Grace Githinji is a mother of 1 who resides in Ngong, a settlement in Kajiado County about 40kms to the north of Nairobi. For a long time Ms. Githinji struggled to provide fundamental needs for her family. Her efforts of starting a business were undermined by lack of sustainable means of accessing income. Despite possessing entrepreneurial skills, Mrs. Githinji could not start a viable business due to lack of access to credit given that financial institutions in the area require big collaterals and other associated security guarantees which she can not afford. When Mrs. Githinji learnt about the OVDF during a sensitization meeting organized by Sister Christine Obonyo in 2009. She applied and was provided with a loan grant of Ksh. 30,000 ($375), which she used to set up a beauty shop in Ngong Town.

She used part of the cash to acquire a premise, which is rented at Ksh. 7,000 ($ 88) per month and the rest to purchase equipment and assorted hair dressing chemicals. Due to hard work coupled with quality services she offered, Mrs. Githinji saw clients growing rapidly. In effort to meet the high demand for services an apparent indicator of a business doing well, Githinji recruited a 20-year-old lady called Catherine Gathoni who hails from a poor family in the area and skills in hair dressing. Given that Mrs. Githinji now has a reliable source of income, she is able to meet the fundamental needs for her family including food, education, health and descent housing. She is attributes the socio-economic advancement to the support provided by OVDF. Mrs. Githinji is enthusiastic and proud to be associated with the OVDF supported program. She plans to expand her business with a view to create more employment opportunities for young women who have completed studies but are unable to secure employment in both the formal and informal sectors.