Sep, 26, 2025. For years, farmers in Njukini, Taveta sub-county, felt trapped in a cycle of debt and dependency. With every planting season came the familiar burden of high-interest loans and the painful reality of losing control over their produce to the very creditors who financed them. The idea that they could save, grow, and thrive without external lenders once seemed impossible, until now.
Today, the story is gradually changing. The community is rewriting its financial narrative through what they lovingly call their “home bank.” The Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) model has become a game-changer, providing farmers with the means to grow their businesses and livelihoods without external pressure or exploitation.
Speaking to members of the Njukini VSLA groups, they recounted the hardships they faced in the past. Some loans carried interest rates as high as 30%, leaving farmers with little to no profit and dictating the terms of their market engagement. With the introduction of VSLA’s, however, a new dawn has emerged. Farmers now pool their savings together and access loans at a far more manageable interest rate of 10%, reinvesting in their farms and watching their savings grow in the process.
Most of the farmers have embraced beans farming, a crop that thrives in the area’s favourable climate. With improved access to capital, they are now working towards aggregating their produce and selling collectively at premium market prices, which translates into higher profits for their households.
Beyond boosting incomes, this shift has broader benefits for conservation. With beans providing an affordable and accessible source of protein, there is hope that the reliance on bushmeat will decline, reducing cases of illegal poaching and wildlife exploitation. The ripple effect of financial empowerment is therefore felt not only in households but also in the protection of Tsavo’s rich biodiversity.
The VSLA initiative is part of a collaborative effort between TTWCA and the Zoological Society of London ZSL under the Equitable Responses to Illegal Wild Meat Hunting Project. This project seeks to empower communities in the Tsavo Conservation Area by improving their livelihoods while promoting a harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.
As the Njukini farmers continue to grow their “home banks”, they are proving that VSLAs are more than just savings groups; they are powerful tools for sustainable development, wildlife conservation, and community resilience.