Africa Circle of Hope
Good Samaritan Mothers Group Entrepreneurship Initiative
(Mathare Slum, Nairobi, Kenya)
In
2006 the mission of Good Samaritan was expanded to create the Good Samaritan
Mothers Group to train women living in the Mathare slums in sewing and
basket making skills. The women are trained by some of the grandmothers
who share distinctive traditional weaving skills. They work in a dusty
back room at Good Samaritan. Baskets are stacked everywhere and hanging
from the ceiling. Each woman can make about five baskets each month. When
a basket is sold the women who made the basket receives half the profit
and the other half goes into a common fund to buy more supplies.
The group currently has approximately 50 members from the Mathare slums. Many of the young women have two or more children and other group members are grandmothers left with caring for their orphaned grandchildren. These women are determined to improve the quality of life for the children and the community.
The women have hundreds of wool and sisal baskets and no way to sell them. They have no business skills or experience. These women will be supported with business and entrepreneurship training, development and implementation of a marketing plan to increase sales and generate income, and the rental of a market stall. Other women in the community also will be trained and helped to establish a variety of small entrepreneurial businesses to encourage economic development and improve the quality of life for everyone in the community.