Today, she is thriving

Agnes Lekupe exemplifies the BOMA difference. Once held back by cultural norms and traditions, Agnes is now a successful business woman and a leader among her family and community. She is building a brighter future and changing beliefs along the way.

You last heard from Agnes in 2020, when she had recently graduated from BOMA’s program in Samburu county, Kenya. Agnes enrolled with BOMA in May 2018. Along with two other women, she formed a business group. Agnes and her group received $300 to start a livestock business. Over two years, BOMA’s mentors provided her with business and life-skills training and connected Agnes to the Women Enterprise Fund – an agency that provides credit to support women businesses.

In the two years since her graduation from BOMA’s program, Agnes’ business has flourished. To keep up with demand, while being able to run the operational aspects of the business, they hired a herder. Hiring a man to take care of the cattle freed the women up to take care of record keeping, marketing and banking.

The members of the group recognized Agnes’s determination, attention to detail and business savvy. They elected Agnes to be the leader of the group.

“I now understand what it is to be an empowered woman,” Agnes says. “My views matter. My decisions make a difference.”

We recently visited Agnes to see how she is doing since graduating from BOMA’s program two years ago.

“When I met Agnes under the shade of an acacia tree a few weeks ago, as she was holding her 18 months old baby and sharing with us how BOMA has changed her life, I could not help but feel pride,” said BOMA’s Chief Development & Marketing Officer Elodie Sampere. “Pride for her determination and her courage, pride as a mother myself that she has raised six children, pride that she is the main caregiver for her family and her community, and pride to be part of BOMA.”

As inspiring as Agnes’ story is, the situation in Samburu county is less positive. Northern Kenya is facing one of the worst droughts in over four decades. Wildlife and livestock are dying. Children are going to bed hungry, and people are falling further and further into extreme poverty.

This means we need to enroll more of them into BOMA programs and it means we need more funds. As we near the end of the year, please consider supporting BOMA’s work to end extreme poverty in Africa’s drylands. Just $300 can empower a woman like Agnes to transform her life.