Our Lady Of Perpetual Support

OLPS uses a microfinance model to loan out low interest business loans ranging from Kshs. 10,000 (USD 100) to Kshs. 25,000 (USD 250) to women for business startups or expanding existing businesses. The package also includes business training and ongoing mentorship to ensure businesses thrive. We target women in OLPS’ mainstream HIV Care and Treatment program and caregivers of OVC with this intervention. Priority is given to women because of their proven ability to manage businesses and repay back their loans promptly.

From a loan capital of Kshs. 400,000 (USD4000) and a cohort of 25 beneficiaries in 2015, the program has grown with time and currently serves 360+ women benefiting from an organically expanded loan capital which currently stands at Kshs. 9.5M (USD 95,000). The 360+ women represent 360+ households with a combined 1912 dependents.

With this strategy, OLPS aims at building sustainable food systems through environmentally safe and affordable agricultural practices to boost food and nutrition security. On a 4ha piece of land, OLPS is implementing a Community-based Farmers’ Education Program and targets local farmers with low-input farming technologies that are easy to demonstrate and scale out.

At the farm, members of the community enroll and get free training on integrated and regenerative agriculture. We focus on supporting households to create healthy and nutritional backyard gardens and keeping livestock such as chicken to boost family income. Farmers are then encouraged and supported to form groups for peer-to-peer mentorship.