Bancy’s Story

After separating from her husband, Bancy moved from Murang’a to Ruiru in search of better opportunities for herself and her four children. Her two sons are in junior secondary, while her two daughters are in upper primary. She initially found a caretaker position in a rental building, where she cleaned the compound in exchange for a place to live. However, when the building owner later changed his mind and demanded rent, Bancy and her children were left in a difficult position with no stable income.

Providing for her family became a daily struggle. The children often went to school hungry and wore torn uniforms. They all shared a single, worn-out mattress in their small room. Despite her efforts to find casual work after the children left for school each morning, jobs were rare, and the family’s situation grew increasingly desperate.

It was through a deputy teacher at her children’s school that Bancy learned about Macheo. Once connected, the family received much-needed support. The children were given school uniforms, and a conditional cash transfer helped ensure they could access food, especially lunch at school. Two mattresses were provided, giving the family a more dignified and comfortable space to rest.

With the help of Macheo’s family economic empowerment program, Bancy was supported to start a small business selling household items. When that didn’t take off as expected, she adapted by switching to selling shoes, children’s vests, and innerwear, an effort that is slowly gaining traction.

“I'll forever remain grateful to Macheo for helping me when I had lost all hope,” Bancy shares. “My focus now is to work hard to ensure my business flourishes, and to take good care of my children.”

As a supporter of Kipawa, you are directly helping Macheo and their work with families such as Bancy’s. Thank you, from all of us here at Kipawa.