The Swahili word “tabasamu” means as much as “smile”. And Tabasamu is the name that a group of widows on the east coast of Kenya have given themselves.
«The biggest challenge for a widow is that we suddenly have to feed the whole family on our own» says Christine Mwangome (see video below). And this under the conditions that women are seen as inferior in society.
To overcome these difficulties together, the widowed Kenyan women are now working together: They will be able to earn their own money by opening a store in 2023, where they will operate a solar grain mill. Achieving financial independence is an important step towards a self-determined life for the Kenyan women.
Solar Mtaani, our partner organization in Kenya led by Abigael Okello (pictured with the dotted dress), works with the group of widows as part of the Solar Learning for Women project.
Get a deeper insight in the video with Christine Mwangome and Susan Mbei (Swahili with German subtitles):
