WFE empowers a woman entrepreneur in Kisumu County

Young woman entrepreneur tells of her experience during the Global Food Challenges Programme Second Mid-Term Review (MTR) meeting in Nairobi. (small subtitle)

This interview was conducted by Ms. Eunice Likoko, University of Amsterdam (UvA) Ph.D. Student.

Jennifer Atieno is a woman entrepreneur and a farmer in Kisumu. She came to know about the Women Food Entrepreneurs research project in the first field familiarization visits by the Ph.D. researchers with community-based women groups in Kisumu city slums.  In January 2018, she participated in the Food and Business Knowledge Platform Second Mid Term Review meeting in Nairobi and this was her comment: “I learned new ways on how as a farmer and entrepreneur I can improve food and nutrition plus generate income. The meeting also enlightened me on new food preservation methods.”

When asked about her experience at the meeting, she noted that food and nutrition insecurity is a challenge being faced by both women entrepreneurs and groups in Kenya and Burkina Faso and it is good that there is adequate information to counter this problem.

In her opinion, there are many ways to boost food and nutrition security in Kisumu especially among farmers. The main ones being the creation of accessible markets and storage facilities for produce especially during rainy seasons.

As a parting shot, this is what she had to say about to the Women Food Entrepreneurs project team:

“I applaud the work that the project team is doing especially in empowering and educating women entrepreneurs on the importance of food hygiene, nutrition and food security in Kisumu County and would wish to urge them to continue with the good work. I also wish to thank the WFE team for giving me an opportunity to attend the MTR meeting as it was an eye-opener to me as a farmer and woman entrepreneur.”