Program Overview
Financial insecurity limits choice and independence. When women lack stable income or livelihood skills, they are often unable to make basic decisions about their health, education, or personal safety. Women without income may delay or forgo essential healthcare because they cannot afford transport, clinic fees, or even nutritious food, a common reality for women in low-income settings. They may also be forced to leave school early or drop out altogether, especially adolescent girls who become economically responsible for younger siblings or their own children.
In many countries, women face persistent economic disadvantages. Globally, women continue to earn less than men for comparable work, often up to 18–24 % less on average, and are concentrated in informal, insecure jobs with limited protections.
In Kenya, women make up a large share of the informal economy, with approximately 80–88 % of working women employed in informal, low-income sectors that lack social protection, job security, or access to credit. Women’s unpaid care and domestic work, which accounts for a large portion of household labour, further limits their ability to engage in income-generating activities and formal employment.
Women in Kenya also face structural barriers to financial inclusion. Only about 29 % of women are included in formal credit markets, compared with a higher percentage of men, leaving many without access to loans, savings, or investment capital needed to start or expand businesses. Barriers to assets like land, capital, and social protections further restrict women’s economic resilience and contribute to persistent cycles of poverty.
Housing insecurity compounds these challenges, without stable shelter, women are less likely to maintain employment, attend school, or seek health services. For teen mothers, survivors of violence, refugees, and women with disabilities, the lack of affordable, safe housing can trap them in unstable or unsafe environments and limit their ability to plan for the future.
Without targeted support that builds skills, financial literacy, access to capital, and social networks, these inequalities persist. Economic empowerment, through training, access to affordable housing solutions, and support for income generation, opens pathways for women to take control of their health, stay in school, leave unsafe situations, and invest in their own futures.
What is it
A livelihoods program that equips women and adolescent girls with the skills, resources, and mentorship needed to earn an income, gain financial independence, and build sustainable futures.
Who We Serve
Women and girls facing economic vulnerability, including women with disabilities, teen mothers, refugees, and survivors of violence.
What We do
- Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship
Train women and adolescent girls in budgeting, savings, and business planning, and provide one-on-one mentorship to help them start and grow income-generating activities. - Self-Help Group Formation & Grant Access
Support women to create or join self-help groups, enabling access to government and NGO grants, microfinance, and cooperative funding to strengthen their economic independence. - Affordable Housing Linkages Acquire & Connect vulnerable women, including single mothers, survivors of violence, and refugees to affordable housing initiatives or rental support programs, giving them stability while they pursue livelihoods.
Results
Women and adolescent girls start or grow businesses, increase income, gain confidence, and achieve greater independence.
Why It Matters
Many vulnerable women and adolescent girls lack the skills, resources, and support needed to achieve financial independence. Without access to livelihoods, affordable housing, mentorship, and funding, women are unable to make decisions about their health, education, or personal safety, leaving them trapped in cycles of poverty and dependence.
Our Impact
- Train 100 women annually in vocational and entrepreneurship skills
- Connect 20 women and adolesce per year to affordable housing initiatives or rental support programs, ensuring stable and safe living conditions within 12 months.
- Provide financial literacy and business coaching to 200 women across 5 counties.
- Facilitate self-help group formation and grant applications for 60 women annually, with at least 40 receiving funding or startup kits within a year.
What Your Support Covers
- Business and entrepreneurship training workshops
- One-on-one mentorship and financial literacy coaching
- Formation and support of self-help groups to access grants and microfinance
- Linkages to affordable housing and rental support programs
- Seed funding and startup kits for income-generating activities
Funding Goal
Invest $20,000 annually to empower 100 vulnerable women and adolescent girls with the skills, resources, mentorship, and housing support they need to build sustainable livelihoods and achieve financial independence.