Our History

Women's Enterprises International (WEI) was incorporated in December 2000. In 2017, a DBA was successfully registered changing WEI to Path From Poverty (PFP).


The organization was formed after two women, a Kenyan and an American, embarked on a journey to rural Kenya to find out what the greatest need facing families was and to learn how they could lend support. They joined local women in fellowship and prayer gatherings that included vital community dialogue. The Kenyan women made it abundantly clear that safe access to clean water was their greatest need to lift themselves out of poverty.  When this need was met, they could focus on income generation, family care, and improved health. 

 

Thus, the sustainable model of women’s empowerment through group work and savings was launched. Trained women leaders taught and supported more women. Water tanks, both gifted and bought, transformed families and communities as the model was replicated throughout the region. 


Being most in tune with the people in the Ukambani region, local Kenyan women continue to serve as our cultural guides.  They share their needs and successes in partnership with PFP.

   

Since PFP's inception, our focus has been empowering women in Kenya. We have also provided programs to support women and girls in other parts of the world including Benin, Guatemala, and Indonesia. 

 

We welcome individuals and groups from all backgrounds, who believe in our mission of empowering women.

 

Visit the "What We Do" section on the website to learn about Path From Poverty's impact, by clicking here. 

501c3 Determination Letter

Staff

Kim McKoy

Executive Director

Kim McKoy has been working and volunteering with non-profit organizations for 40+ years. Along with undergraduate degrees, Kim holds a Masters Degree in Psychology from Antioch University.


Kim has been dedicated to supporting women and children throughout her career, and has been passionately dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, all of her life. When thinking about what she would like to do in this next stage of life, Kim told a friend she would love to work with impoverished women somewhere in the world. 


Kim's background includes: Crisis intervention, antipoverty work, birthing support, mentorship, and even animal welfare advocacy. 


Kim enjoys linking arms with the extraordinary women in Kenya, and the wonderful local team, supporting women as they obtain their goals for themselves and their families to live their best lives. 


Kim can be reached at kim@pathfrompoverty.org or by phone at 206-484-0546.

Kathryn Smith Derksen

Community Engagement Program Manager

Kathryn holds a degree in Conflict Management and has worked all over the world to empower the marginalized and support grass-roots work in development and peace. Kathryn’s faith as an Anabaptist peacemaker has led her on this journey. She is also a professional musician, mother of two teenagers, and wife to Dan, another peacemaker.

Laura Milleville

Marketing & Communications Manager

Laura holds a master’s degree in environmental studies. She is passionate about women’s rights, environmental justice, and animal welfare. She is excited to partner with the women in Kenya and support their efforts in achieving water equity and strengthening their communities.

Regional Program Managers- Kenya

Agnes Kioko,

Mbooni & Yandue Regions

Agnes Kioko is the Regional Director of Path From Poverty Kenya, overseeing the Regional Program Managers as well as Mbooni and Yandue clusters. Agnes started as a Kyeni Kya Yatwa women's group member in 2008, rising up to Chairlady, and then to Regional Manager in 2009. To say leadership is a strength of Agnes', still doesn't even come close! Agnes is passionate not only about seeing leadership come alive in other women, but on a deeper level her well-being is woven in with every Kenyan Women's Group member. Agnes is grateful to God for the chance to share knowledge and opportunities with women in Kenya, as well as in the United States.

Susan 'Sue' Musyoka,

Kisau & Makueni Regions

Susan Musyoka has been a Regional Program Manager since 2012 and is part of the executive committee of Path From Poverty Kenya. Susan has seen firsthand the shift from darkness to light on so many levels since partnering with Path From Poverty. The partnership has helped break the cycle of not just financial poverty, but also spiritual and physical. Susan says she has been impacted by all of the women who now have stronger faiths, cleaner homes, healthier relationships, and better incomes.

 


Monicah Muthoka,

Tulimani Region

Monicah Muthoka is the Regional Program Manager for the Tulimani region, overseeing six women’s groups since February 2018. Monicah says, “Since then God has helped us know we are able and this has made us strong in faith and brought happiness in our homes. The partnership with PFP in the U.S. has played a big role in our success.”

Regina Mbaluku,

Malili A & B Regions

Regina Mbaluku, Regional Program Manager of Malili region, has been leading women's groups since 2012. She has achieved a bright future for the group members by helping families have clean, adequate and safe water including storage facilities and as a result, families are clean, healthy and spiritually strong. Regina is happy to have joined Path From Poverty and to be part of uplifting her community.

Betrace Maundu,

Kibwezi Region

Betrace Maundu was elected as the Regional Program Manager of Kibwezi cluster in 2014. Betrace says, "I was in a very hard time before joining Path From Poverty. The partnership transparency has enabled our women to have faith with the program. Thank you to Path From Poverty for adding the Kibwezi region in your program."

Susan Musembi,

Kilome Region

Susan Musembi has been the Regional Program Manager for Kilome cluster since 2015. She is a married mother of three. She went to school and attained Form Four certificate EACE. She was trained as a Primary School teacher and later worked as a teacher for 35 years, finally retiring in 2007. Her journey with Path From Poverty began in 2002 when she joined a women's group. Since then the groups she oversees have shown a great impact on the lives of women and especially those who have tanks. Susan explains, “the women are eager to explore more at improving their lives. They have a zeal to see a tank in each one's community. I have a dream that every household to have a tank”.
 


Annah Muteti,

Kola Region

Annah was elected in 2023 by the group members of Kola cluster, who saw her potential as  a leader who understood the challenges they face and would support them as they walk the path from poverty. 

Board of Directors

Boni Piper

"Path From Poverty is the most sustainable model I know. It puts the emphasis on our partners to choose and do the work before we get involved. They are working themselves out of poverty and we are there to encourage, provide hope and a bit of help. It is done in grace and love and I am so pleased to be a part of this transformation."

With PFP since 2014, Board President since 2015.

Kathy Scott-Lewis

"Having been to Kenya with the 2020 work team I was very deeply touched by the vitality of faith and sincere joy of the women in the PFP clusters. These women were committed to one another with a generosity of heart and worked together for the betterment of their lives and the lives of their children. They welcomed us with open arms and we worked side by side enjoying a oneness of spirit as women and were bonded by our common purpose. I am so pleased to continue that work here in the US as a PFP board member."
Kathy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and lives in Pasadena, CA.


Joanne LaBaw

In 2018 Joanne traveled to Kenya with the Path From Poverty Work Team. There she got to see firsthand the organization's positive and sustainable impact on the women's lives: "I believe that empowering women is the best way to support them. Path From Poverty is not a handout, rather it provides a vehicle for the Kenyan women to improve their lives. These women are strong, optimistic and have amazing faith. I learned so much from them."

Before retiring, Joanne worked for the US Environmental Protection Agency in the environmental cleanup program.


Waeni Bacon

"Empowering women is a very effective tool for sustainable development. Path From Poverty is not only enabling women in Kenya to realize their own worth and change the communities they live in, it is also playing it's part in the Sustainable Development Goals on poverty eradication, good health and well being, gender equality, clean water, clean energy among other goals. I am proud to be part of this great organization." 

Waeni Bacon is a Kenyan lawyer and an Attorney At Law in Washington State.

Linda Fairchild

Pat Spence

"I am thankful to have participated in Path From Poverty work groups in Kenya to see first-hand how this model transforms lives. The cooperation, compassion and support these women offer their communities as they work together to raise and save money dramatically changes their lives. The water tanks provide clean water and free the women and children from walking hours in unsafe conditions with heavy jerrycans. The solar panels provide nighttime lighting adding security to their lives and allowing children to study in the evening. Path From Poverty is a sustainable program, one that supports without interfering and empowers women to move out of poverty. It works, I have seen it."

Pat Spence is a mother and a retired teacher who lives in Alaska.

Tina Chimuzu

Tina is a Malawian Cultural Heritage Management professional, Entrepreneur and Graduate Student in Minnesota. "Path from Poverty places a deep value on the agency that Kenyan women have in developing homegrown solutions to their community challenges. I believe that this approach is very empowering and sustainable, as it affirms the important role that these women play in their communities. Moreover, I also appreciate the central role that faith plays in informing the decision making processes for interventions. Overall, I am glad to be a part of this great organization."

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