In Kivunie village, Athi Ward, Kitui County, one woman’s determination and a little support is transforming an entire family’s future.

At 65, Dorcas Kamene Malusi carries a weight that would break many. Widowed and raising three adult daughters—one living with both physical and mental disabilities—alongside five grandchildren, three of them under five, she is the sole lifeline for eight people. Before, she used to be a sole lifeline for 11 people. Every meal, every school fee, every medical bill rests on her shoulders alone.

But Dorcas refuses to give up. And with support from CMMB Kenya’s livelihoods project, she no longer has to do it all alone.

From Surviving to Building

When Dorcas joined the program in 2024, her small eatery was on the verge of collapse.

Today, that same eatery is the heartbeat of her family’s livelihood, and it is no longer a solo endeavour.

Just opposite Dorcas’s food vending business, her daughter now runs her own vegetable stall. What began as a way to empower her daughter has blossomed into a thriving family enterprise. Mother and daughter work side by side, each running her own business, each contributing to the household’s stability.

“The support has changed everything,” Dorcas shares. “My daughter is engaged, she is earning, and she is proud. We are building this together.”

Elizabeth Kathini-Dorcas’ daughter at her vegetable store

The family’s progress does not stop there. Dorcas has started raising chickens, five and counting, hoping to grow a steady income stream. She built a bed for her daughter and bought a new mattress. Her dream of providing proper bedding and a safe, dignified home for her family is no longer a distant hope; it is becoming reality.

How CMMB Kenya’s Livelihoods Project Works

CMMB Kenya’s livelihoods project supports vulnerable households through cash transfers and training that enable people to improve their lives and sustain themselves. By combining financial support with practical skills development, the project helps families like Dorcas’s move from survival toward long-term stability.

In Kitui County, the project provides cash transfers and financial literacy training, along with comprehensive support that includes cash, training, business set-up costs, initial capital, and linkage to other services. It also drives women’s empowerment through loans and seed capital. In Siaya County, the project offers seed capital to empower women survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).

Challenges That Remain

But Dorcas’s journey is far from over. Her family still faces obstacles that require continued support:

• Unsafe water. Every day, Dorcas and her grandchildren rely on water from the Athi River—water that puts their health at risk with every drink.
• No irrigation. The river is just a few kilometres away, but without an affordable water pump, her crops wither and her family goes hungry.
• No health insurance. When her grandchildren fall ill, Dorcas shoulders the medical costs alone, stretching every coin until there is nothing left.

A Faith That Sustains

Through it all, Dorcas holds onto hope. She finds comfort in the story of Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:10). Like that man, she waits, trusting that help will come.

And it has. Through your  support, Dorcas has moved from survival to building. Her daughter has a business of her own. Her grandchildren have a grandmother who refuses to quit. Her family has a future.

The Hope Ahead

Dorcas still dreams bigger than her means: of clean water, of healthcare for her grandchildren, of tools to grow more food and expand her business. With continued support, those dreams are within reach.

“I have hope,” Dorcas says. “With more support coming in, we will grow. My family will thrive.”

Dorcas is doing everything she can. She is stretching every coin, building her businesses, and fighting for a future where her family does not just survive but thrives.

Written by Marion Malika