Livestock as a Business 2019-2020 Program
Our annual Livestock Loan Review Seminar for our Livestock as a Business 2019-2020 program took place on September 22-24, 2020. This is the culmination of our loan cycle and is a 3 day meeting where the Livestock Farmer Groups we have trained report on the $2000 Livestock loan they received from us last year. This year we have 10 groups who received the loan.
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The loan cycle activities for each group are:
The big things we keep an eye on are the money transactions to ensure that the money is used for the intended purpose and reported accurately, and to make sure that the fattening season is going well. We provide support to minimize risks in case there are any challenges along the way, like drought, disease or group problems. This is one of the ways we make sure the loan is repaid. It is a successful strategy. We have 99.7% loan repayment across all the years of the program. |
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Maasai people are traditional livestock keepers. You might well ask “What’s at stake here? Why do people need this training”? Yes, our group members are skilled, passionate livestock keepers. However, their culture of keeping cows for prestige causes them to keep livestock longer than economically advisable, especially during drought times. They love their cows and are reluctant to sell, even when drought is destroying livestock body condition to the point of death. This turns people into paupers. The damage of drought can be minimized with smart livestock management practices. This is what our program teaches.
The Seminar Report
Let me count the ways this week’s LAB Livestock Loan Review Seminar was awesome!
Attendees:
10 Livestock Farmer groups, with 4-5 members present from each group – chairperson, secretary, treasurer and 1-2 members.
1 member each from 2 new groups, sent to “scout” for their groups, whom we are training now and will receive their first loan in November.
WILK team: Joyce, Larasha, Nelson, Sadera, Cate
Extra helpers to do attendee questionnaires (girls we have sponsored) Nasei and Tayiana
Government of Kenya Min. of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries:
Livestock Production Officers: Stanley Oloiputari, Esther Solonka
Veterinary Officers: Dr. Fred Sururu, Dr. Nankinyi (a woman vet who grew up in the area - very exciting for the Maasai ladies to see one of their "daughters" is working as a government vet.)
Highlights
In the seminar, group members challenged and corrected each other, as well as giving support and suggestions. People have made new friends across the region, and grown to know and trust the government Livestock officers. The LAB members community has taken the next step of creating their own livestock cooperative, which will be the organization that holds them together once they graduate from our program. In the cooperative they can do savings and loan activities, buy property, hold trainings, organize farmer trips, and can be eligible for grants that target cooperatives, exercise bargaining power of a large group.
Finally, regarding our teachers from the Ministry of Livestock – we have 2 production officers that we have been working with for the past 8-9 years. They both felt it was the best seminar ever. Also, our sub-county's new Veterinary Officer attended our meetings. He was in the field with us two weeks ago for his first livestock disease control training for this year's LAB program groups. The seminar was his first time meeting all of last year's groups and seeing what the groups are achieving. He previously worked for non-governmental organizations before working for the government. When I asked him if he had any suggestions for how we could improve our program he said “your program is the best, most-sustainable program I have ever seen”! Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that, but was thrilled to hear it!
Below is a condensed version of the group buying, selling and profit analysis results. The groups had the highest profit we have ever seen. First, all repaid the loan. Then, we have 4 groups who made more than $2000 net profit (on a $2000 loan). Two groups made between $1000 and $1999, and the remaining 4 groups each made between $500 and $999. These extraordinary results are a result of hard work by our groups and the good luck of a) good pasture b) corona virus causing some markets to be closed, so it was a sellers' market!
A note: In most cases, groups went to the market with at least $2300. This includes the $2000 WILK livestock loan plus their $300 group contribution. They will use this for livestock and livestock inputs. In some cases, groups added additional money. You will notice this in the case of Loonkishu Elerai, Ilmirishi, Oloirien and Ilumpwa Groups.
The Seminar Report
Let me count the ways this week’s LAB Livestock Loan Review Seminar was awesome!
Attendees:
10 Livestock Farmer groups, with 4-5 members present from each group – chairperson, secretary, treasurer and 1-2 members.
1 member each from 2 new groups, sent to “scout” for their groups, whom we are training now and will receive their first loan in November.
WILK team: Joyce, Larasha, Nelson, Sadera, Cate
Extra helpers to do attendee questionnaires (girls we have sponsored) Nasei and Tayiana
Government of Kenya Min. of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries:
Livestock Production Officers: Stanley Oloiputari, Esther Solonka
Veterinary Officers: Dr. Fred Sururu, Dr. Nankinyi (a woman vet who grew up in the area - very exciting for the Maasai ladies to see one of their "daughters" is working as a government vet.)
Highlights
- We had active, participatory and interested group members – Everyone who was supposed to come, came, and came on time.
- Our Groups had Great success to report – good fattening season and favorable market, leading to good profit.
- Our WILK team shone with good teaching, and we found new ways to activate and inspire, keep it lively. Here are three of the interactive activities:
- Group introductions, where each group tells who they are, where they come from, what they are most proud of with their group in the past year, and what are they known for among their neighbors
- Group presentations of records of the loan cycle activities, with each member presenting one of the key topics.
- Group self-evaluation break out session, presentation of the results, and response from the teachers.
- We heard deeply felt testimonials and stories from members of how much the LAB program and being involved with WILK has helped them.
- Groups shared what they were proud of and what they are known for in their communities.
- This included being known as a place where people can borrow money. With their profits and regular group contributions, groups have a pool of money which they loan with interest, and with the repaid loan plus interest, it keeps growing. In addition, Women’s groups are known as women who are strong enough to succeed in buying and keeping cattle in what has always been a man’s world.
- We heard that: Neighbors in their areas are appreciating the better way the groups are keeping their livestock, their grass conservation efforts, the good breeds of their animals, the good care they are giving, for example: good methods in spraying, de-worming and vaccinating. They go to them for advice, for loans, to know how they can join our program. They are especially amazed that women’s groups can do so well – to manage their loan, buy at the livestock market, take care of their animals and keep them in good condition and sell at a profit.
In the seminar, group members challenged and corrected each other, as well as giving support and suggestions. People have made new friends across the region, and grown to know and trust the government Livestock officers. The LAB members community has taken the next step of creating their own livestock cooperative, which will be the organization that holds them together once they graduate from our program. In the cooperative they can do savings and loan activities, buy property, hold trainings, organize farmer trips, and can be eligible for grants that target cooperatives, exercise bargaining power of a large group.
Finally, regarding our teachers from the Ministry of Livestock – we have 2 production officers that we have been working with for the past 8-9 years. They both felt it was the best seminar ever. Also, our sub-county's new Veterinary Officer attended our meetings. He was in the field with us two weeks ago for his first livestock disease control training for this year's LAB program groups. The seminar was his first time meeting all of last year's groups and seeing what the groups are achieving. He previously worked for non-governmental organizations before working for the government. When I asked him if he had any suggestions for how we could improve our program he said “your program is the best, most-sustainable program I have ever seen”! Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that, but was thrilled to hear it!
Below is a condensed version of the group buying, selling and profit analysis results. The groups had the highest profit we have ever seen. First, all repaid the loan. Then, we have 4 groups who made more than $2000 net profit (on a $2000 loan). Two groups made between $1000 and $1999, and the remaining 4 groups each made between $500 and $999. These extraordinary results are a result of hard work by our groups and the good luck of a) good pasture b) corona virus causing some markets to be closed, so it was a sellers' market!
A note: In most cases, groups went to the market with at least $2300. This includes the $2000 WILK livestock loan plus their $300 group contribution. They will use this for livestock and livestock inputs. In some cases, groups added additional money. You will notice this in the case of Loonkishu Elerai, Ilmirishi, Oloirien and Ilumpwa Groups.
