Joyful Women’s journey from small gatherings to a countrywide movement took centre stage on Thursday as First Lady Rachel Ruto reflected on how far the organisation has come in its 16-year path of uplifting women.
She said the movement’s growth shows how simple ideas—when embraced by determined women—can change families and shape the future.
During the 16th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebrations at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, she revisited the early moments of the initiative, long before many Kenyans knew of its existence. She recalled how the first groups would meet quietly under trees, inside homes, in churches and in open fields, with nothing more than hope and a desire for progress holding them together.
“In the silence of those early meetings, something powerful began to grow. When I looked around, I saw daring faces, faces full of wisdom. I saw determination. I saw women waiting to rise, eager to embark on a new journey,” she said, adding that the courage of the women who joined those first circles played a key role in shaping what Joyful Women would become.
Founded in 2009, the organisation has grown into one of the strongest platforms for women to build businesses, support their families and nurture leadership skills. The First Lady emphasized the heart of the model, noting that “the transaction is not about money. Your sisterhood is the bank, and that is where transformation is anchored.”
She said this approach has allowed women to start small ventures, educate their children and reduce poverty in their communities. Over the years, more than 300,000 businesses have been launched through the movement, touching the lives of an estimated three million people.
The table banking groups have circulated over Sh3.5 billion in all 44 counties. Joyful Women has also given families 50,000 tons of household provisions and planted 50 million trees, with most of them being fruit trees approved for supply in supermarkets in Nairobi and nearby counties.
Mama Rachel highlighted personal examples of women who have benefited from the movement, including one who joined in 2009, learned leadership, grew a poultry business and now mentors young women. “She’s proved that when a woman learns, a community advances,” she said.
She also spoke about the realities women face worldwide, saying, “Women make up half of the world's population, yet they earn less and work more. And whenever there is social or economic failure, women feel the hardest hit.”
“But even in that reality, something profound is happening across Kenya. Women are stepping into new spaces, turning scarcity into innovation, turning doubt into possibility, rewriting their stories with conviction,” she added.
Calling the organisation’s success a quiet revolution, she said its impact will continue shaping future generations. Women of all ages—young mothers and grandmothers alike—have created new paths that their children can follow more easily. “This is our transformation. This is our story. This is our power,” she said.
The First Lady also pointed out that Joyful Women has embraced technology, including digital reporting tools and mobile-based table banking systems, which she said will help strengthen trust and prepare younger leaders.
She said the group’s progress shows how a simple idea can grow into a national movement that builds families, supports livelihoods and raises new leaders for Kenya.
