WORTH

Name: WORTH
Duration: August 2005 – August 2008
Donors: The Salvation Army

This WORTH program is being carried out in partnership with The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO), The Salvation Army UK Territory Projects Office (UK Projects Office), The Salvation Army in East Africa, and Pact. The program has surpassed its targets to reach over 7,500 women in more than 300 groups throughout rural areas of the Central, Nyanza and Western provinces.

The WORTH program in Kenya helps address the issues of women’s literacy, education, job opportunities, and decision-making ability in their homes and communities. Increased incomes are helping to bolster households that struggle with the burden of HIV/AIDS. Strong women’s groups also provide women with a mechanism for social action, as well as support.

Emerging results

Over 100 groups have formed by replication with the help of existing WORTH groups. Group members are working together to carry out collective income generating activities and community development projects including the construction of water storage tanks, boreholes, shelters for orphaned and vulnerable children and nursery schools. Initiatives to support orphans, vulnerable children, widows and caregivers affected by HIV/AIDS in their communities and improved care for infants in response to WORTH activities have also been documented.

The majority of groups have worked through the first book of the WORTH series, Our Group, and are now learning the banking skills needed to start their first official banking cycles and grow their micro-enterprises.