WEEK Empowerment Journeys - Tabitha Njoki Kabia
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Authors
Patrick Meinhardt
Issue Date
2016-09
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Energy
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Abstract
Women in Energy Enterprises in Kenya (WEEK) Project TABITHA NJOKI KABIA BASED IN KAGICHA, CHINGA, NYERI COUNTY When I trained as a tailor in my village, my drive and passion was towards self-employment. I then met my husband Samuel Kariuki, then a saw miller in the village and our union was blessed with two boys. I soon realised that my tailoring would not yield the financial satisfaction I was looking for. I earned on average $5 a day, which was not sufficient to meet my family’s daily needs even when supplemented by what my husband was intermittently making. I was later granted an opportunity to work at the local tea factory (earning about $7 per day). This enabled me to participate in Farmer Field Schools in the surrounding villages. Here I learnt skills like crop production and tending to tea, keeping livestock and so on. But it was the introduction to the energy efficient stoves as a business that really changed my view of work. The WEEK project team taught me how to install energy efficient stoves and also plan and manage a business. I got conversant with the types of stoves I could install and even sell to the residents. On a good day I promote and sell about 6 stoves ($24) and install 3 stoves ($6) in the locality. To my advantage, the tea factory is encouraging its customers to acquire and use energy efficient stoves and solar items as part of its efforts to conserve the environment by providing the items on a check-off system thus easing access to the products. This has boosted my earnings from increased sales. I am currently making about $40 on a good day. I envision that one day I will be able to distribute many more stoves on my own in the region especially with marketing skills I have recieved from the WEEK project. I hope to distribute about 300 stoves a month and earn more income from individual sales. In addition, I have also been trained on briquettes making and I am hoping to acquire the machine to start production to diversify my business. I am happy distributing good health, clean air and greener environment through my business. https://practicalaction.sharepoint.com/sites/uk/Marketing/PFRU/ProposalsReports/PROJECT%20proposals%20and%20reports/WEEK%20-%20Gender%20-%20Kenya/WEEK%20Empowerment%20Journies-%20Case%20studies%20-%202016.pdf
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