Kenya
Across the dioceses where we work in Kenya, wide financial discrepancies remain. Baringo, one region where we work, for example, is among the most marginalised counties in Kenya: over 52% of residents live below the extreme poverty line. Agriculture is the backbone to local economies, but is vulnerable to extreme weather conditions which can force households even deeper into poverty. Access to a safe place to save, and skills to diversify into non-agricultural businesses, can transform lives.
Five Talents’ focus is on providing our members with training and basic financial services (a safe place to save and access to small loans). This gives families a safety net in the difficult times and allows them to increase their income, so that they have more to spend on essentials such as nutritious food, healthcare and education for their children. We work with several different partners throughout Kenya and our newest programme was formed in Marsabit, Kenya in 2019.
The Programme
Savings Group in Baringo, Kenya.
The programmes in Kenya began in 2006 with just 13 Savings Groups in Thika. Today, across Kenya, we have over 2,100 Savings Group members.
The programmes in Kenya work on a savings-led model. This means that community partners set up village-based savings groups; we call these ‘Savings Groups’. Trust between members of a Savings Group is fundamental to their effectiveness as in these Groups members are loaning savings to their neighbours!
Our Savings Groups often meet after a Sunday service and use the local church as a meeting-place, but Groups are open to people of all faiths and none. Anyone can join a Savings Group, as long as the rest of the group accepts them – it is self-selecting and democratic.
Typically before joining a Group, members have no safety net to meet crises such as poor harvests or illness, and even if there was a bank within travelling distance, they are often barriers for them to access even the most basic financial services. When members join a Savings Group they have the opportunity to learn, earn, save and invest, together.
Our Impact & Success
Our programmes in Kenya are our longest running projects; we have the expertise to scale up our programmes there. We have a proven model, a cadre of expert local staff and the respect of the Anglican Church. There is high demand for our work: other Dioceses are regularly knocking at the door of our experienced programme management team, asking how to start Savings Groups; and the Archbishop of Kenya himself has invited us to replicate this model throughout Kenya.
After such great success we opened a Five Talents office based in Nairobi, Kenya. Five Talents Kenya is a central resource hub which provides training to our Kenyan partners, as well as partners throughout East Africa.
Our Partners
Kericho Community Development Trust (KCDT)
Western Community Development Trust (WECODET)
Baringo Community Development Trust (BCDT)
ACK Marsabit Women Empowerment Programme
Mombasa Community Development Trust
Talents SACCO, Thika (post-funding partner)
Faithful Servants SACCO Embu (post-funding partner)
ACK Imani Talents SACCO (AITS) (post-funding partner)
Where to next?