Testimonials
Meet the women we work with!
Natang’amwaki Papalai
WAEV's programs have enabled Natang’amwaki Papalai to be able to provide for her family during difficult times, and increased her respect in her community. She says, “I used to be looked down on because of my very poor socio-economic status, but I’m now gaining much respect. Through WAEV, I managed to build an improved house and no longer live in a thatched roofed hut.”
Natang’amwaki was also able to take out a loan to send two of her children to school, which she successfully repaid. She has gained support from her husband who has seen how successful WAEV’s programs have been. She adds, "My family's health is improving through increased nutrition through our vegetable gardens. For sure, my life has changed through WAEV." Moving forward, she is excited to buy a water tank to harvest rainwater so that she can have a stable drinking water supply, as well as use it to irrigate her trees and vegetable garden.
Leya Loishiye
Leya Loishiye has been a part of WAEV for almost 5 years—in fact she was our very first group member! Here is how WAEV has empowered her socially, economically, and physically:
"WAEV helped me to gain respect from my neighbors, and a place that provides relief from the hardship I experience as a widow in my community. I’m so thankful for the water tank I received last week - owning a tank has been one of my life dreams that I didn’t know when I was going to achieve!
Through the Microloan Program, I was able to take out a loan to support my daughter as she attended university last year. The environment around my homestead has very much improved with the trees I received from WAEV. These trees have been very beneficial and I’m well trained in maintaining them. Through vegetable gardens initiated by WAEV, I believe that my family's nutrition has improved through consuming vegetables. My family’s basic needs are now mostly able to be met during difficult times because of access to loans to solve such difficulties, especially in obtaining food. This year, I am looking forward to starting a business selling cereal and purchasing more seeds for my gardens.”
Mariamu Mbarnoti
Mariamu Mbarnoti told us that she is very proud that her tree seedlings have grown successfully (see one above). She points out that some of her trees are taller than her grandchildren, and now provide shade for them to rest under during hot weather.
In a few seasons, she will be able to prune these trees for firewood, which she can use herself or sell at local markets! Currently, WAEV plants croton, markhamia, quinine, silky oak, East African cordia, avocado, mango and moringa trees.
Dina Sailepu
For Dina Sailepu, raising several children as a widow has come with many hardships. She found it difficult to meet deadlines to pay for school fees and other expenses without an additional source of income. Through WAEV’s microloan program, Dina has been able to send her son to Rift Valley Secondary School while successfully repay her loans on time.
Dina says, "I have been trying to get involved with other women’s groups around Lendikinya, but I have never seen one like WAEV’s groups! As a widow, I feel that WAEV is my great savior. We will always cherish Saing’orie’s mark in our village.”
Nasaru Saiguran
Nasaru Saiguran has been part of WAEV’s Group 1 for over three years now, and has explained how our programs have positively impacted her life. She told us, “I managed to become self-reliant and realized that I can do things successfully, for example, the trees that I planted, I have been responsible for them by myself.”
She noted how she was able to grow and sell vegetables for profit through our Vegetable Gardening Project, and has has built a small shop. In the coming year she looks forward to expanding her entrepreneurial ventures and starting a poultry business!
Nanjina Songoyo
Nanjina Songoyo has been very successful in her tree planting and business ventures. Before she joined WAEV, Nanjina was running a small operation of buying and reselling 10L of petrol per week.
Now, she sells between 30-40L per week, and also offers sodas and dried beans at local markets. She is in the process of building a kiosk to permanently station her sales. She told us, “I have been successful in my business through the group and have been a role model to others due to my successes, now others have become developed too.”
Naishoki Mbarnoti
Naishoki Mbarnoti has done exceptionally well in both her tree planting and vegetable gardening efforts through WAEV’s programs. She has begun growing African basil alongside her trees in a form of agroforestry, and both have thrived! African basil is a plant that can be used both for it's medicinal properties and its environmental impacts. It is drought resistant, meaning it grows easily within tree lots without regular maintenance and is also helpful in alleviating surface water run-off and erosion. By growing her trees and basil together, Naishoki has helped to conserve soils and water resources, and she has noticed the impacts! Here she stands in her garden holding her produce next to some of the impressive trees she has maintained.
Ngojie Bana
Above is Ngojie Bana with her children and numerous trees she has planted! Ngojie is an amazing example of success despite adversity and incredible perseverance. She suffered from some health issues earlier this year making it difficult for her to attend weekly tree planting meetings, but her family took care of her seedlings while she recovered. Finally she was able to return and immediately got to work planting 30 more trees which are all still alive and thriving. She is such an inspiration and has motivated her community of family and neighbors to be ready to plant even more trees in the future!