Joyful Women is a registered non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded on Saturday, August 29, 2009, by First Lady H.E. Rachel Ruto to promote women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
Sixteen years ago, the Joyful Women Initiative (JoyWo) was established on a simple philosophy: the greatest barrier for women is not a lack of ideas or diligence, but a lack of access to financial capital.
During the 16th Anniversary Celebrations of JoyWo held on November 27, 2025, at Kasarani Stadium, the First Lady celebrated the organisation’s cumulative success of circulating over KSh 4 billion and helping launch an estimated 300,000 businesses through its membership across the country.
The organisation’s structure is designed to serve women who are typically excluded from formal financial systems due to lack of collateral, low financial literacy, or time and mobility constraints. Instead of requiring bank visits, JoyWo brings financial activities directly to the community level.
JoyWo’s success is largely driven by its core methodology: Table Banking.
Table Banking is a group-based resource mobilisation concept in which a group of 10 to 30 members meet every month to save and borrow. During these meetings, members place their savings on the table, starting from a minimum of KSh 200 up to an amount set by the group as the maximum savings.
As the First Lady noted, the model is built on trust and operates on the principle, “Your character is the collateral. your integrity is the currency.” This peer-to-peer accountability has resulted in high repayment rates, allowing pooled funds to grow quickly.
The success of the Table Banking model has enabled JoyWo to expand from just 60 women at its founding in 2009 under a Grevillea robusta tree in Eldoret to becoming a nationwide economic pillar.
The organisation’s impact is reflected in success stories such as Mrs Gitobu from Meru, who expanded her dairy farm and built rental properties, and Diana from Nairobi, who turned KSh 500 into a thriving, certified skincare and food brand. These stories illustrate the powerful impact of small, flexible loans.
Looking ahead, Rachel noted that JoyWo is leveraging technology to secure a generational legacy. The organisation is now focusing on digitisation through mobile table-banking tools and digital reporting. This shift ensures that every woman, whether in a remote area or a major city, can access opportunities with dignity and speed.
Currently, the organisation has over 240,000 members, more than 16,000 groups, and over KSh 2.8 billion in circulation.
