A Kenyan Mom’s Story of Economic Empowerment

Meet Marcella, a single mother of four. She lives about 400 meters from the Dandora dumpsite in Kenya, where she also works.

Four years ago, Marcella walked away from her marriage, finally determined she would no longer allow herself and her children to be victims of domestic violence. At age 29, she had no income, four children all under her care, and no clear plan. But she had hope. She packed what she could and went back to her mother’s house near the dumpsite.

Finding a Path at the Dumpsite

While working at the dumpsite with her mother, Marcella met the International Samaritan Kenya team. After being accepted into the program, her oldest son, then 11, went back to school with his fees covered. Marcella explained that for the first time in a long time, she felt like she could breathe.

With that burden lifted, she threw herself into her work.

Marcella began collecting tins and selling them to an aggregator, who would then sell them in bulk. On a good day, she could collect and sell 5 kgs of tins (11 lbs) and make about $2.50 — enough to help supplement her mother’s income and keep the household going.

From Collector to Aggregator

Within a year, she had learned enough about the business to take the next step. She wanted to become an aggregator herself. Her mother believed in her and gave her a little money to get started. With that, Marcella began buying old tins, cleaning them, and matching them with lids to sell in bulk to companies that manufacture paint. 

While she had become an aggregator, it came with increased pressures. She needed cash to pay the local collectors. She had to gather and hold enough stock to meet the minimum bulk quantities. Could she keep this new business going?

A Savings Group Changed Everything

Marcella’s outlook changed when she joined a savings group with International Samaritan Kenya. Each woman in the group saves at least $8 a month, and the money pooled together is used to give each other loans — a community lifting itself up, one woman at a time.

In the summer of 2025, Marcella received a loan of $115 from her group. That money was the game-changer that she had been waiting for. It allowed her to comfortably purchase 500 kg of tins (about 1,100 lbs) and complete her first major sale to a paint company. The profit she made was 75 percent!

Marcella’s savings group requires repayment of loans within six months. She repaid it in three. With the money she made, she began buying household items, slowly preparing to move out of her mother’s house to build a fresh life with her children.

In the fall of 2025, Marcella took out a second loan of $190 from her savings group. Again, she repaid it within three months. Her business has grown steadily, and she is not done yet. By the end of this year, she hopes to reach a capacity of three tonnes (3.3 tons) per month. She has already hired a woman to help her clean the tins, creating work for someone else in her community.

Building A Life of Her Own

Marcella now lives with her four children in their own home. The work is tough — it always has been. But it is honest work. And it is hers. Every tin she cleans, every deal she closes, every loan she repays ahead of time — it all adds up to something she is building with her own hands.

From the dumpsite, she found her way to dignity. And she is just getting started.

Mercy Gichu, Program Officer, Kenya

Mercy holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Strategic Management. With experience in youth mentorship and women’s economic empowerment, she drives initiatives promoting dignity, resilience, and sustainable change for vulnerable communities. A dedicated professional, Mercy delivers tailored economic empowerment programs and entrepreneurship training, with expertise in forming savings and loan groups to create alternative livelihoods. Her passion fuels impactful solutions, advancing communities’ agency and resilience.

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