We are group registered in Kenya as a society, formed in September 2021. 11 out of our current 13 members are girls aged between 18 and 25 years of age in universities across the country; the other 2 are Sarah and John, who are older in their 30’s and primarily serve a mentorship and leadership role. At the onset, the idea behind forming the society was an intermediary organization to implement the university sponsorship program funded by TIES Charity- Canada. But outside of the sponsorship program, we have other ambitions; including income generation and expanding our reach to our local communities here in Kenya, outside of the current mandate with TIES Canada.
Our vision is to make positive and meaningful impact in the lives of girls and women from financially challenged backgrounds across Kenya, through providing learning and income generation opportunities to empower them economically. So that they can break the cycle of poverty in their lives, their families and that of their communities as a whole. Most of us in TIES Kenya were sponsored in high school by charity organizations, and the girls are being sponsored in university as well, giving back to our community is a natural and dear cause for us individually and as an organization. Sponsoring a girl's education is one way that is top of the list for us. Starting businesses to generate income is another, and that trickles down to improve the livelihoods of families and communities around us- directly or indirectly. A social enterprise model best fits our vision.
Empowering girls and young women (through education and entrepreneurship opportunities) to break the cycle of poverty in their lives, families and communities.
TIESK is an intermediary organization implementing the University sponsorship project in Kenya on behalf of TIES Canada.
Developed and implemented in collaboration with TIES Canada, this project is currently at the inception and pilot stage. Unemployment is a real challenge in Kenya, and graduates require skills to tap into the opportunities in the digital space. Digital skills will teach our girls to turn their knowledge and skills into products and services which will earn them income. Even with employment, it doesn’t hurt to get extra income from side gigs and projects.
We started fundraising internally in 2023, in the form of monthly contributions from our members- 13 currently; membership contributions of 50 KES per month for each of us. Our goal is to raise seed capital to start a business. Some of the ideas we have include: Potato farming, poultry keeping, retail of beauty products and cosmetics etc. These are ideas that we have come up with during our meetings. We realize 50 KES a month translates to 600 KES annually per member, totaling 7,800 KES a year. This is a humble start, and we are seeking donors to boost our fund, so that we can actualize these ideas.
Starting and running businesses profitably will create jobs for ourselves and members of our communities; women and youth at the forefront. We will be able to get income and put money in our pockets, cater for our needs and those of our families (think the basic ones- food, shelter, clothing, medical care). The goal is to grow and have impact and multiplier effects on the economic wellbeing of our communities as a whole. It begins with one girl, one person who succeeds and has the heart to give back and help those around them. We are those people, with that heart and passion.
Exchange Rate (Dec 14th 2024): 129 KSH = 1 USD
Budget Ceiling: 500 USD
| No. | Item | Unit Cost (KSH) | No. of Items | Total Cost (KSH) | Total Cost (USD) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land Lease | - | ¾ Acre | - | - | To be done by group members; both actual labor and monthly membership fees contribution for hired labor |
| 2 | Land Preparation (Tilling) | - | Tractor hire & labor cost | 10,000.00 | ~77.52 | |
| 3 | Potato Seedlings | 7,000.00 | 1 | 7,000.00 | ~54.26 | |
| 4 | Fertilizer & Pesticides | 24,500.00 | 1 | 24,500.00 | ~189.92 | Organic preferred |
| 5 | Other Cost / Miscellaneous (Labour after planting - harvest) | 5,000.00 | 1 | 5,000.00 | ~38.76 | |
| Total Cost | ~500.00 USD | Period of grant request: 1 farming season (6 months) | ||||
Note: Some costs (e.g., land lease and part of labor) are covered by group members through contributions and voluntary work.
Details on our members and beneficiaries coming soon.