Mwenda-Antu (a Meru word that means “loving people”) psychosocial support group was formed by Kiunga in October 2020. The group has 18 members, all female and living with HIV. The women of the group work in a quarry where they produce crushed stone that acts as raw material for various construction activities. The women then sell the ballast to interested vendors.
After forming the Mwenda-Antu group, the members started a voluntary savings as a way of pulling resources together to meet their basic needs. So far, the group has managed to save KSh 36,800 (341 USD)! This allows members to borrow anywhere from KSh 2,000 to KSh 5,000 (18-46 USD) a month, which they can then pay back the following month with minimal interest.
The members were driven to do this by their desire to improve their lives and meet the needs of their families. Most of the women had depended on their husbands to support them, but these activities allow them to share in providing for their families.
By investing in their stone crushing business and participating in group savings, the women have been able to do things like purchase decent furniture for their homes and meet travel costs for clinic visits, which has been a challenge.
“We are now respected and highly valued in the community as agents of change.””
Pauline, the leader of the support group, adds, “Since Kiunga joined us in 2020, there is a significant change in most of the group members. Kiunga has brought transformation by training us to unlock the potential within.”