Jitokeze
This group started in 2012 and graduated in 2017. The members all live in the Vipingo area, which is around 25 km north of Mtwapa on the way to Kilifi. The group started with 25 members. After the first education period 3 members left, as they were not really committed and in total 2 members died during the 5-year programme. From the beginning this group was very well organized and had strong leadership. Unfortunately, their leader – Zakia Suleiman – passed on just a few months before the group graduated. But at that time several other members had developed leadership skills and the group is still very strong and united. The difference between this group and earlier groups is that at least a few members of this group had a bit more education. This really helped the development of the total group.
Beside their individual small businesses this group started growing maize and moringa during the raining season and a business in charcoal. Furthermore, this group has been vocal during World Aids Day to try to reduce the stigma on HIV/AIDS. They prepared their own songs and dances. They were very successful and because they didn’t look sick, the audience could not believe they were HIV-positive themselves and were saying that they were not HIV-positive, but only ‘pretending’.
At the end of the 5-year programme the group presented themselves in a very professional way during the graduation ceremony. This has now become the standard within Kenya Care. This group managed to have 160.000 Ksh savings at the end of their programme and got a bigger loan to boost their charcoal business from the government based on their creditability, built up during their Kenya Care program.
