Microenterprises are an important tool in the fight against poverty, particularly for women in rural Kenya. These small-scale businesses, often started with minimal capital, provide a sustainable pathway out of poverty by offering economic independence and social empowerment. Each Path From Poverty women's group chooses which micro-enterprises make sense for their group based on their location, resources available, and skills they can learn or share. Here are three of the main income generating projects in the Ukambani region: Farming: Around 80% of Kenya's agricultural workforce is made up of women, who play a pivotal role in the country's agricultural production. Women in Path From Poverty are encouraged to have a shamba, or kitchen garden. This provides fresh food for their families and sometimes a surplus that can be sold. In order to conserve water, the women re-use what they can to water their gardens. For example, they will wash their dishes and then pour the dish water onto their plants. Women also do casual labor at neighboring farms - planting seeds, spreading manure, and harvesting crops. Basket Weaving: The Ukambani region is known for its baskets. Women weave baskets from sisal, baobab, yarn, and plastic bags. When women harvest sisal, they must strip the plant by hand to get the fibers for weaving. The sap of the sisal plant can cause skin irritation but the women endure this because weaving baskets and ropes is a vital way they earn income. Making Ballast: Breaking rocks into ballast, or gravel, for construction is back-breaking work. For many women in dire poverty, it’s one of the only accessible income generating projects, as it requires no capital. Women collect rocks, then break them into smaller rocks using a hammer or a rock. Even collecting the rocks can be dangerous, as venomous snakes can be hiding in the rocks. When the women smash the stones, they risk eye injuries from flying rock shards and hand injuries.

Changing seasons