Our Sister Shop in Kenya

The pandemic forced small businesses and organizations around the world to close, even here in our small rural community in Kenya. But through it all, Zawadisha has remained strong. Our resilience and perseverance over the past few years prepared us for our next big opportunity.

In July 2021, a storefront on the dirt road that is the artery to all of the villages Zawadisha serves was vacated by the previous owner during the height of the pandemic. Yet the demand for household items like spoons, cups, stoves, and solar lamps has been steadily increasing.

We've been building a strong reputation in this community for nearly 10 years. Our name and our products are respected, trusted, and well known. Our local team has their finger on the pulse of this community. We knew that by moving into this vacant shop and opening up a retail store we could serve more people in our rural community.  

Within two weeks were we able to open up this small shop. No one thought it was possible, but we hired someone to paint the inside, build shelves, and make a new sign. We hired and trained Eunice. We traveled to Mombasa and purchased all of the inventory. And we planned a grand opening. Dozens of people from the community turned out, and we paid for all of our opening costs in just one day.

With this new shop we have been able to provide items that make life better for women and their families. We created new jobs for women. We established a new revenue stream that will help us provide more loans for larger, expensive items. And we made Monica smile even bigger.

We're proud of what we were able to accomplish in 2021, and we have our sights set on something bigger. In 2022 our goal is to develop the model for a training center, creating real-life opportunities for women to learn how to run a business. Stay tuned for updates!