Women groups from Kakrao and West Kanyamkago wards in Migori County are reaping benefits from Send A Cow (SAC), an organization that has embarked on empowering farmers groups in the region through training.
The NGO which has been in Migori County for more than four years now, boasts of its good rapport with farmers, which has seen many farmers join groups and receive various training on food sustainability.
After years of commitment and hard work, various women groups in Migori County under SAC are now enjoying the fruits of their dedication and perseverance in keeping up with the organization’s pieces of training.
Gauging from the joy they had during the passing over of goats and cows they bought from table banking skills, it is evident that they truly deserve to reap from the plant they have been watering, that has yielded them fruits.
During the passing over event held at Uriri and Suna East Sub Counties by the SAC organization, a total of six women groups received 200 hundred goats and 10 cows bought from their merry go round savings (table banking).
Mr Fanuel Ashiembi, field officer from Send A Cow Kenya and farmers trainer, said that they managed to succeed through the hard work, determination and dedication of the group’s members.
He added that after staying with farmers for over three years and helping them form farmer groups, it was wise to introduce them to table banking.
“All these we are witnessing today is from famer’s hard work and commitment. We, as Send A Cow, we only showed them how to do it,” said Ashiembi.
Mr Ashiembi noted that, it’s a norm for most women groups in the region to make small savings which at the end of the year, they buy wheat for cooking chapatis and celebrate. We wanted to change that into a long term programme.
That is when we started goat and cow projects for farmer groups, said Mr Ashiembi.
In addition, Mr Ashiembi promised that through Send A Cow, they are going to offer hybrid goats of Saanen species amounting to 30 goats to the farmers.
The new goat species will enable the increase of productivity in terms of milk and other products from a goat and therefore, a positive change in lifestyle to the community.
The groups through their representative lauded the efforts the SAC organization has made in changing their lives.
Ms Gory Florence, a peer farmer trainer (PFT) and a group leader expressed how the organization has helped in shaping their lives through the initiated Programmes.
“We are now able to grow our crops such as vegetables, provide better treatment to them in terms of watering, providing chemicals and even proper harvesting,” remarked Ms Gory.
She urged other women across the country to embark on farming as this is the only sure way of putting food on their tables.
Mr Alphonse Odhiambo, a member of the Wi-Arot Liondo women group added that despite starting their group back in 2016, it is only when Send A Cow joined them in 2018 that they started reaping big profits.
He added that the organization has seen them through various steps of farming and livestock keeping ranging from poultry farming, goat keeping until the time that of giving ten cows to their members.
By Polycarp Ochieng
