Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Felister Mbavani’s Journey to Hope and Dignity

Meet Felister Charles Mbavani, a mother of six from Nganwa village, Makueni County. Felister’s family lived in squalor, faced extreme abject poverty and financial hardship, struggling to provide basic needs for her children. 

Destitution persisted over time, but to cushion and save her family’s struggles, she approached a local microfinance to secure a loan of Kshs 26,000 (200 USD), using the family’s two donkeys and two goats as security for the facility. 

Felister diligently repaid her loan for eight months before financial hardship forced her to default. One morning, creditors from the microfinance arrived at her home, repossessing the family’s only remaining livestock and water tank.  She reflected on that painful period saying, “I was left feeling disconnected and more vulnerable than I have ever been in my life.”

With this financial hardship, Felister’s family endured pain, suffering, and hopelessness. This affecting her children’s emotional stability and health.  Felister had no idea of how to get her family out of this situation  Her family was highly vulnerable. 

When World Vision Kenya launched the Sustainable Food Systems Programme in Makueni, Felister, formerly part of the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) program, received vital initial support that met her immediate needs and restored dignity to her family.

In the SFS programme, she received training in financial literacy, prudent financial management through the Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and sustainable agronomic practices.

Felister became a member of the Lovers Self-Help Group (SHG) which has about 30 members, where she and fellow members deepened their understanding of financial discipline, group savings, and responsible borrowing and investing. “After my difficult experience with the microfinance, many of us were afraid of taking loans,” she recalls. “But through the structured Village Savings and Loan Associations, we saw how our money could grow over time, this gradually restored our confidence.” 

Felister and her group members remained committed to the training and mentorship program, evolving from basic table banking to a deeper understanding of shares and structured monthly borrowing. This progression empowered them to strengthen their financial independence. Leveraging her enhanced financial literacy, Felister consistently invested in her VSLA shares. During the 2022 share-out, she purchased a 3,000-litre water tank, securing reliable access to clean water for her family’s daily needs.

Felister was sharp, focused, and confident. Over time, her financial management skills significantly improved, leading her to take on a leadership role as World Vision Kenya’s Village Agent. In this capacity, she trains, mentors, and guides new members in savings and credit management. Her generosity pushed her to establish and support six additional Saving for Transformation (S4T) groups in her village, broadening the reach of financial literacy and promoting economic empowerment across more households.

Felister didn’t stop there. Her passion for farming drove her to go even further. She embraced the risk management component of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme by enrolling in crop insurance, ensuring her drought-resistant crops were protected against climate-related losses. This proactive step has safeguarded her farming efforts, providing a more stable income for her family despite the unpredictable weather patterns in Makueni.

Today, Felister is a confident and respected mentor, Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and a financial advocate in her village, and community at a large. Just like her colleagues in the Lovers VSLA Group, her livelihood and living standards have been transformed. She has diversified her income streams by rearing poultry for eggs and protein, rears and sells goats for additional income that she uses to support her children’s education.

Felister is a living example of moving from grass to grace and vividly demonstrates how structured financial empowerment can transform lives. “The training changed my perspective to financial growth; I now appreciate the value of small savings and I see them grow in something bigger.” She opens up saying, “I no longer fear taking loans, and no creditor will ever come to seize my assets again.” 

Felister’s story is proof of the power of financial literacy, group savings, and resilience. With the support of World Vision Kenya and World Food Programme through the Sustainable Food Systems Program, she has moved from vulnerability to stability, inspiring many in her community to follow in her footsteps.

By Jared Ontobo – Communications Specialist, Emergency Response, World Vision Kenya