Posted: February 20, 2017
She was left with basically nothing. Evicted from where she knew to be her home, she was broke, homeless and disillusioned. Margaret Wambui a mother of 7, a grandmother of 22 and a great grandmother of two, remembers how hopeless she felt after the 2007 post election violence which saw all she had acquired reduced into ashes. Margaret used to sell charcoal in kibra, in a day she could sell 2 bags of charcoal that would give her $5 profit and from this income all her seven children were able to get basic education.
Disoriented and hopeless Margaret had to start life all over again but how to is what she did not know. Margaret then met the Association Of Sisterhood of Kenya –Justice and Peace Commission who took her under their wing with 40 other women and she was able to get counseling and that is how they formed the Ngando Women of peace group.
The AOSK then mobilized the Ngando women of Peace and taught them soft artisan skills and registered a business in their name in order for the women to meet their basic needs.
The women were passionate about their new venture but still could not make much from their business as they lacked entrepreneurial skills that is when EPTF came knocking. EPTF partnered with AOSK JPC to train 38 women on entrepreneurial skills.
The women were trained on money management, marketing, business record keeping, business plan among other units. The story of Margaret today is one of transformation. After the training, she feels confident enough to run a business she has new insight on how to increase sales and profits. Imust open my charcoal business again”Entrepreneurship is not easy but I’m willing to give what it takes to make this work” Margaret says.
Margaret is ready to get back in the game with the new knowledge she has acquired and hopes to buy her own piece of land in the future