Mwiki Group: 173% Increase in Average Income

The report is in: with the generous donation from the Rotary Club of Sebastopol, CA, the Mwiki Self-Help Group was a success, with all members reporting an increase in income. For these loan recipients, that translates directly to an enhanced quality of life: better clothing and nutrition, and the ability to assure that their children go to school. This will have a very real long-term result for these individuals, their families, and the village. Many studies have shown that the single most powerful tactic to lift a group out of poverty is education. There are also secondary effects of the loans that have to do with the support of the group, with the importance of business planning, and with educating the recipients about business economics and HIV and malaria. Mary Murija Kawira, one of the original members of the Mwiki Group, says, “…it has made more be more active [in the community] and focus forward.”

Thank you, Rotary Club of Sebastopol. And thanks, also, for the work of Dr. Kajira K. Mugambi and Cristin Weekley in gathering and compiling this information.