Widow's Daily Income Triples After Business Training Programme in Kalobeyei
Kalobeyei, 13 April 2026
Akitela Epong’s remarkable transformation from earning 1,000-2,000 Kenyan shillings daily to 3,500-7,000 shillings demonstrates how targeted economic empowerment can change lives in northern Kenya’s challenging environment.
From Struggle to Stability: A Widow’s Journey
In the dusty landscape of Kalobeyei, where refugee settlements and host communities coexist in Turkana County, Akitela Epong’s story exemplifies the transformative power of targeted economic support [1]. The 37-year-old Kenyan mother faced devastating circumstances when her husband died in 2022, leaving her as the sole provider for seven children [1]. ‘Mimi bwanangu aliaga mwaka wa 2022, nikaachwa na watoto saba ambao wananitegemea (my husband passed away in 2022, and I was left with seven children who depend on me),’ Epong explains, describing the moment her life changed dramatically [1]. Before receiving assistance, her small shop generated meagre daily sales between 1,000 and 2,000 Kenyan shillings, with minimal profit margins due to severely limited stock [1]. ‘Nilikuwa nikiuza vitu vya shilingi 1,000 hadi 2,000 kwa siku. Faida ilikuwa ndogo sana. Hii ilisababishwa na kwamba sikuwa na vitu vingi, stock yangu ilikuwa ndogo (I used to sell between 1,000 and 2,000 shillings per day. The profit was very small. This was because I didn’t have many goods, my stock was limited),’ she recalls [1].
The Wezesha Project Intervention
Epong’s fortunes began to change when she was selected to participate in economic empowerment training through the Wezesha project, implemented by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) in partnership with the IKEA Foundation [1]. The programme brought together 25 women from both refugee and host communities, creating a collaborative learning environment that bridged traditional divides [1]. In December 2024, RCK provided Epong with capital goods worth 50,000 Kenyan shillings, a substantial investment that would prove transformative for her struggling business [1]. ‘RCK walinipea usaidizi wa capital goods za dhamana ya shilingi 50,000 (RCK gave me support with capital goods worth 50,000 shillings)…Hii iligeuza biashara yangu pakubwa sana (This transformed my business tremendously),’ Epong explains, highlighting the immediate impact of the intervention [1]. This support came at a critical time when her family’s survival depended entirely on the modest income from her undercapitalised shop.
Remarkable Financial Transformation
The results of the business training and capital injection were swift and substantial. Epong’s daily sales increased dramatically to between 3,500 and 4,500 Kenyan shillings, with some days reaching 7,000 shillings [1]. This represents a minimum increase of 75% from her previous maximum daily earnings, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness [1]. ‘Wateja waliongezeka (My customers increased)…Na ile pesa nilikuwa nikiuza kwa siku ikaongezeka. Kwa sasa nauza kutoka shilingi 3,500 hadi 4,500 kwa siku. Wakati mwingine nauza hata 7,000 (and the money I used to make per day increased. Now I sell between 3,500 and 4,500 shillings per day. Sometimes I even sell up to 7,000),’ she explains with evident pride [1]. The improved capital allowed her to expand beyond basic goods to include clothes and shoes, diversifying her product range and attracting more customers to her shop [1]. Most importantly, the increased income now enables her to afford school fees and supplies for her seven children, breaking a cycle of educational deprivation that might have perpetuated poverty across generations [1].
Wider Impact of Community-Led Development
Epong’s success story reflects broader trends in Turkana County, where organisations are implementing innovative approaches to economic empowerment that integrate refugee and host communities [2][3]. Building Livelihoods & Empowering Communities (BLEC), founded in 2018, has empowered over 3,100 households through technical expertise and market linkages, with their revolving fund supporting more than 1,200 women business owners by the end of 2024 [2]. The Agency for Cross-Border Pastoralists Development (APaD), working with Plan International Kenya, has reached over 2,700 farmers through Climate-Smart Agriculture initiatives, demonstrating how agricultural training can complement business development programmes [3]. These organisations operate on the principle that ‘locally led solutions are the most effective way to combat drought, displacement, and inequality,’ as BLEC emphasises in their recent collaboration review [2]. ‘Kwa yote, nashukuru kwa msaada walitupea (Above everything, I am grateful for the support I was given)…Imetusaidia sana. Kusema kweli, hii imetubadilishia maisha sana (it has helped us so much. Truly, this has transformed our lives),’ Epong reflects, her gratitude echoing the sentiments of thousands of beneficiaries across Turkana County who have experienced similar transformations through targeted economic empowerment programmes [1].