During her visit to Kibera, Nairobi, on February 25, US First Lady Jill Biden was in awe of the table banking groups, commonly known as ‘chamas’, and the efforts of Kenyan women in pursuit of financial independence. Jill Biden, who was accompanied by Kenya’s First Lady Rachel Ruto, watched as the women demonstrated the borrowing and saving process through table banking groups.
In her address, Jill Biden thanked the women for showing her how they create financial independence for themselves, describing them as an impressive group. Kenya’s First Lady, Rachel Ruto, shared the story of how she came up with the idea of establishing table banking groups in the 1990s to help needy women after encountering a woman walking barefoot in Eldoret while campaigning for her husband, President William Ruto.
Rachel Ruto vowed to support the chama’s digitalisation efforts to improve efficiency and attract more young women by making credit facilities accessible via mobile phones.
Jill Biden was in Kenya on the second day of her three-day visit to the country.
The table banking groups have played a significant role in empowering women economically in Kenya, with over 80% of the members being women. This story showcases the resilience of women in pursuing financial independence and highlights the importance of such initiatives in empowering women.
