Beatrice Nasieku Ruto (BNR)
“Before I joined the program, I used to be a casual laborer. The program has helped me educate my children, buy food and clothes for them. The program has really changed my life – I bought a piece of land and all my kids can attend school now.”
~ Beatrice Nasieku Ruto
Beatrice Nasieku Ruto is one of the seamstresses in our Enkiteng Program in Enoosaen. She joined the Enkiteng Program in summer 2012 and started learning how to sew by making Enkiteng bags (cloth gift wrapping bags) using donated fabric. She has now graduated to making the Enkiteng bags out of Kitenge fabric, as well as new products such as Kitenge knapsacks. She lives in Molo with her husband and their 4 children.
Her formal education ended in Form 3 (3rd year of high school). She wants a different life for her children – all 4 of them are in good schools, and she is expecting them to finish university.
Since she joined the Enkiteng Program in 2012, she saved enough money to purchase a piece of land where she and her husband are building a new house for their family. In addition to sewing the Enkiteng bags, she sells milk from her 2 dairy cows that she was also able to purchase thanks to the Enkiteng Program. Her husband does not work, she is the sole breadwinner – providing income to feed and educate their children.
When asked what would she like to change in her community, she said: “I want all the women have something to do in the community, I need to tell women to work.”
She is currently learning how to sew clothes and wants to open a tailoring shop. Her newfound confidence has allowed her to imagine and pursue a better life for herself and for her family.
“I am very thankful to Seed to Sew Enkiteng Program. I don’t know how I can thank the program. I always remember I was able to buy a land and build a house for my family. Becoming the breadwinner would have been a big challenge to me, but I thank Seed to Sew very much, I have been able to pay school fees for my children, buy food and clothes. Again through Seed to Sew I have learned to sew school uniforms as we have attended training sessions in Nyanchonori and also in Enoosaen, I have really increased my sewing skills and I am now confident to start my own tailoring shop.”
