A retired mathematics teacher from Karuri High School, Ngugi had little experience in running a dairy farm when she took over. She faced challenges, including the loss of several cows, and nearly sold the farm. However, with encouragement from her children, she persevered and has since grown the business into a profitable venture.
"I knew little about dairy farming when I started, but over time, I've learned and adapted. I'm glad I didn't give up," she says.
In addition to dairy farming, she has diversified into poultry to keep herself busy between tending to her cows.
Ngugi has not only received practical farming support but also financial empowerment. The organisations offer farmers soft loans and check-off loans with favourable repayment terms, helping them grow their businesses.
"The partnership with KUnity Sacco and KDC goes beyond farming support. Their financial services, like check-off loans, are easy to repay and come with low interest rates," Ngugi notes, her mathematical precision from her teaching days still evident in her approach to managing her finances.
She says, that each litre of milk fetches between Sh40 and Sh42, and innovative technologies boost her productivity.
KDC has different facilities that offer small business credit on favourable terms to acquire technology, machinery, and equipment, to accelerate Kenya's industrial modernisation and enhance competitiveness.
KDC reently received a Sh2 billion credit facility to support SMEs through the Export-Import Bank of India.
It is partnering with banks and Saccos for onward lending to farmers and other small businesses to reduce post-harvest losses, shore up their earnings.