At just 29 years old, Rehema Bungo from Magongoni has lived a life marked by both hardship and remarkable transformation. A mother of three and the second wife in a polygamous marriage in Vigurungani Village, She was married off at just 26 due to high poverty levels, and in her marriage the husband neglected his duties, with the burden of providing for her children falling squarely on her shoulders.
Rehema’s days were once filled with uncertainty. Her small mali mali business, selling household items, barely made ends meet. There were times when putting food on the table was a struggle, and her dreams of a better future seemed out of reach.
Everything changed when Rehema joined the Jasiri program. Through Jasiri’s life skills and financial literacy training, Rehema gained not only knowledge but confidence. Equipped with practical tools and a renewed sense of purpose, she received a Ksh 25,000 grant which was a turning point in her journey.
With determination and vision, Rehema reinvested the grant into her mali mali business, expanded by launching a vibrant choma zone, and began keeping goats to diversify her income. Her efforts paid off: she has now saved Ksh 15,000 from her business profits.
Today, Rehema stands as a beacon of hope in her community. Her children are well fed and cared for, and she no longer lives in fear of tomorrow. The Jasiri program through Collaborative Centre for Gender & Development (CCGD) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation didn’t just offer her financial support; it gave her the tools to rewrite her story.
