Triumph Over Adversity: Clementine's Story

“Meeting other refugee women facing the same struggles gave me hope."
— Clementine, 40, DRC

In 2018, Clementine was forced to leave her home in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to war. She fled to Kenya with her two children, aged 14 and 10, hoping to find safety.

In the DRC, 40-year-old Clementine was a primary school teacher. When she arrived in Nairobi, Clementine hoped to start fresh and find work to sustain her family as a single mother.

For the first year, Clementine made a living by doing house chores like washing clothes, but the money she earned was not enough to meet her family's basic needs and cover her children's school fees. Unfortunately, Clementine faced additional difficulties working for male clients who often demanded sexual favors in exchange for payment. “It was really hurtful,” says Clementine. “Sometimes, even when I worked a lot, they paid very little money.”

Unable to continue working in such undignified conditions, Clementine used what little savings she had to start another business selling Kitenge fabric around Nairobi on foot. Unfortunately, this venture did not last long. While running to escape the war in the DRC, Clementine sustained a head injury and as a result, often felt dizzy after walking for extended periods in the scorching sun. “Sometimes I would just fall and faint,” says Clementine. “Walking an entire day was not good for my health.”

Determined not to give up, Clementine shifted to selling potato fries by the roadside. While this kept her going for a bit, it became unsustainable due to the rising cost of food in Kenya. Affording a bag of potatoes became increasingly difficult, leading her to eventually close the business.

In 2021, Clementine connected with RefuSHE through a Community Incentive Worker and became a member of a local Women’s Ambassador Group (WAG) whose membership consisted of fellow refugee women in her neighborhood. Being part of WAG gave her a network of supportive women who understood the challenges she was going through. “Meeting other refugee women facing the same struggles gave me hope,” says Clementine. “We would talk about our problems and visit each other during tough times.”

As a part of the WAG, Clementine joins other women in monthly meetings to collectively save money. These pooled savings are later offered as loans to members based on their individual savings amounts. Clementine’s savings group has been active for the past two years and has benefitted from financial support provided by RefuSHE. This assistance enabled her to secure a substantial loan, which she invested in starting a business selling both fresh and fermented milk to a growing customer base. Clementine also used the loan to purchase a fridge for milk storage.

“Today, thanks to the loan I obtained and invested in the new business, I am debt-free.”
— Clementine, 40, DRC

In addition to her milk-selling business, Clementine runs a small general shop in Nairobi. Establishing this new business has empowered her to enroll her eldest son in a boarding high school where he recently started Form 1. Clementine is delighted to be able to afford her son a quality education and fulfill his needs.

The success of Clementine’s business has also enabled her to settle her debts. “When I closed down my previous business, I was burdened with a lot of debt while trying to provide for my son's needs,” says Clementine. “Today, thanks to the loan I obtained and invested in the new business, I am debt-free.”

Clementine credits RefuSHE with helping her open a bank account which she struggled to previously open due to the lack of an identity card as a refugee living in Kenya. This limitation hindered her from accessing loans and other financial tools necessary to sustain her businesses. Fortunately, through the collaboration between RefuSHE and Equity Bank, Clementine can now save money in a bank account. This partnership has opened up new financial pathways for her, providing greater stability for her business and family.

Today, Clementine’s future and those of her children look promising. “Often women, especially single mothers, like looking down upon themselves, and they should not,” says Clementine. “They need to remember that they are powerful and brave! They need to believe in themselves.”