WEM Integrated Health Services
WEM Integrated Health Services (WEMIHS) has been working to improve the health of women in the resource-poor and marginalized communities of Mwingi, Kenya by increasing their access to capital through women-owned financial institutions in villages.
The
Request
With your support, WEMIHS will train women’s groups to manage and run a Village Development Fund that will give women access to start-up capital for small businesses along with technical support to connect women to robust markets for their products.
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Results
As women increase their household income they can buy food for their children, access health services, and buy school materials for their children to school. A steady income also means building household assets and savings. Individual success leads to collective action, as women jointly demand government to address community-wide needs such as access to water and sanitation.
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Challenge
Unreliable rainfall and limited employment opportunities in Mwingi North lead to high levels of poverty, food insecurity, poor health, and low literacy. Within a marginalized community, women struggle to provide for themselves and their families with limited resources, livelihood options and social safety nets.
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Solution
Rather than link women to microfinance institutions that ultimately draw capital out of the community, WEMIHS supports communities to build their own savings and loan facility. The end goal is a local financial institution focused on providing capital to women so they can increase their income and assets.
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Transformation
WEMIHS’s approach empowers extremely poor and marginalized women to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to take ownership of efforts to transform their lives. The Village Development Fund places the power of building economic assets in the hands of the women it seeks to help. The Village Development Fund is an instrument that not only combats poverty, but increases the confidence and agency of poor women.
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Organization
Founded in 1998, by three women, WEM Integrated Health Services (WEMIHS) builds community capacity to manage natural resources, improve the economic status of individuals and households, and minimize the effects of HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. A team of competent and well-trained technical staff work closely with communities to design, implement, and evaluate programs.
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