Sherehekea
Members of the Sherehekea group are mostly coming from Mtwapa and Shanzu, two neighbouring towns, just north of Mombasa. They started end of June with the introduction lessons with 31 women and 29 of them finished the first phase successfully, so we held a certificate party for them in October 2021. Sherehekea means Celebration and we can say that this is a good name for the group. They are normally very joyful and like to present themselves with songs and dancing at events. In other groups we have seen that some of the members are more shy than others, but in this group all members want to participate.
Most of the women have started their own business now with the support of a small microloan. The maximum amount for a first loan is Ksh. 5000 (ca. Euro 45). When the women want to apply for it, they have to make a business plan and the loan will have to be approved by their fellow members. The women do not have to pay any interest and we do not ask for collateral. But the group is the guarantor. That means that if a woman doesn’t pay back, the group will have to pay together. Until now this has not happened it this group. But there some women, who are doing so well, that they paid back very fast and already applied for a second or third loan (second loan is max Ksh. 10.000 and third loan can be Ksh. 15.000).
