Making Face Masks: Jasper Mutugi Njeru's Efforts to Support his Community during COVID-19

Colin Powel says “There is no secret to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure". Jasper’s story is one of determination amidst many challenges. The lines on his face are a testament of who he is and where he’s been and how that had formed him to the man he is today. 

Jasper Mutugi Njeru is a thirty-four-year-old man and a beneficiary of our Micro Lending Program. He is married and blessed with three children. Jasper was passionate about getting a decent education, but unfortunately, he had to drop before he could complete his secondary education due to lack of funds.

He was soon employed as a farm assistant in an effort to make ends meet where he worked for one year. At this point, he was getting an income of KES 3000 (USD 30). One of his cousins volunteered to take him to a polytechnic where he began training as a tailor. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, he dropped out after one year. He joined his cousin who owned a tailoring business and supported his business for seven years. 

He later sought employment from another tailoring business where he used to receive an income of KES 400 per day. He saved up for the one year he was employed and was able to start his own tailoring business in 2005. Unfortunately, he closed the business due to the many challenges he was facing. 

He decided to move back to his home town where he got married. He was employed as a farm manager for two years. He saved up some money and started a small tailoring business. It was at this point, where he joined Wendani Sisters Self-Help Group. Here, he found a business-minded group of individuals. The Self-Help Group was officially registered as one of Hope Core's associate groups.

The group was awarded a soft loan of 60,000 KES (USD 600) to boost their table banking and increase their group loan pool where the members were able to borrow more and repay with an interest at the end of the month. The table banking kitty for the group grew from the interests they would receive monthly.

During this period, the group members demonstrated a very high level of group cohesion, active participation in activities, and a strong desire to progress in their businesses and they qualified to receive their normal loan. This opened them up for business training where the members received training on; Business budgeting and planning, Agribusinesses, record keeping, and some health topics.

The group was founded in November 2019, where Jasper received KES 60,000 (USD 600). He used the funds to buy an extra sewing machine and sewing materials. 

Jasper currently makes KES 45,000 (USD 450) on a monthly basis with expenses of KES 20, 000 (USD 200) hence making a monthly profit of KES 25,000 (USD 250).

With the increased income, Jasper has been able to pay his loan four months in advance. He has also purchased one Heifer and one dairy goat. He is now able to meet his basic needs and provide for his family. 

Jasper has been at the forefront of COVID-19 spread prevention by making local face masks for the community. Apart from selling masks, he gives them to the less fortunate members of the community at a subsidized price. Most of the community members now have face masks due to his efforts. 

We are so proud of the incredible milestones he has taken and we are honored to have been part of this amazing journey.