When Chris Owino was ready to expand his grocery stall in the market, he joined the Matungu Community Development Charity’s small loan program. His shops supports his wife and their three children. A friend from church told Chris about the Matungu low-interest loan program and helped him receive a $150 loan to buy more items for his shop. “Thanks to Spirit in Action and Matungu for the small loan. If not for you, I am sure even today I would still be struggling in raising funds to expand my business.”
Chris at his neighborhood grocery shop, selling soap, salt, candy, coffee, tea, and other small items.
Matungu Community Development Charity is a community-based organization and a SIA partner since 2017. They meet regularly to encourage each other in their small businesses and farms and to raise chickens collectively. Members can take low-interest loans, borrowing $150 and repaying it week-by-week at organizational gatherings.
Patrick Agola also received a small loan to invest in his paw-paw (papaya) farm. Patrick’s paw-paws are planted using poultry organic manure, which is very rich in micro-nutrients. He harvest is going well and the sales are enough money for his family to buy food, clothes, and pay school fees for the children.
The Agola children with the large papayas from the family’s farm
Henry Alobo also lives in the Matungu area and in 2018 he received several chickens from Matungu Community Development Charity’s Sharing the Gift program. Now his flock is healthy and he has passed on the gift by giving thirty chicks to another neighbor. Henry’s birds lay enough eggs for the family to eat them (adding protein to their diets) and also for them to sell some to earn extra income.
Alobo family with their chickens. They have Shared the Gift by giving some chicks to a neighbor.
I visited Matungu Community Development Charity in June and saw the fancy egg incubator that the group bought to supplement the loan fund and provide more healthy local chicks for members to raise and sell.
Matungu Community Development Charity members showing me their egg incubator, which helps eggs hatch quickly and safely.
