CARE Savings Groups Keep Kenyan Families Fed During Drought

To a visitor, Kanyawara looks like it’s in full bloom. This tiny village in western Kenya is filled with sprawling, leafy trees and thick grass. Surrounding it are seemingly rich fields of corn and cassava.

But villagers say something is very wrong in Kanyawara. Because of a rainfall deficit, local crops aren’t growing as fast as they should.

Farming communities like Kanyawara depend on rainfall for survival. To survive these tough times, the people of Kanyawara and many neighboring communities rely on savings groups that were started by CARE in 2008 to provide a vital financial safety net. Because of her savings group, Grace Orwa can afford food for her children, and she still has enough money to pay for their school tuition.

The drought throughout east Africa doesn’t just hurt farmers though. In nearby Nyamira, Nurse Veronica Okongo says staple foods like corn and eggs cost roughly 50% more today than they did last year. With four children in school, including one daughter in university in Nairobi, school fees are one of her family’s biggest expenses. A lifelong saver, Veronica moved her money from a bank to a CARE-created community savings group to earn more interest.

Unlike banks, CARE’s community savings and loans are owned by their members. Interest earned from repaid loans is shared among group members. Food prices have risen so sharply since last year that Veronica says she would not be able to make ends meet this year if not for her savings group income.