Our Livestock as a Business Program (LAB) is entering its fifteenth year! Near the end of 2025, we distributed loans to eleven total groups that were trained in this program, which elevates traditional Maasai livestock-keeping practices so that people earn more from their cows. Let’s take a look at how this transformational program works as well as why it’s an important part of keeping clean water access available in Kenyan communities.
New Groups Added to LAB
Since LAB’s June 2025 graduation ceremony, which included 60 Maasai livestock keepers, we’ve welcomed three new groups to the program, training them in everything from creating business plans to our Livestock Disease Practical. Meanwhile, we’ve also been checking on our other 8 groups in their second, third, and fourth years of the program.
On October 22, each of our 11 LAB groups received their livestock loans. These loans are the cornerstone of the LAB Program and provide both new and returning groups with the financial muscle needed to buy animals, keep their herds healthy, and turn a profit. The loans are 250,000 Kenyan Shillings, which is about $1,970 USD.
Setting Groups Up for Success
At the Loan Signing, our teacher Esther Solonka reviewed group business plans to make sure groups were prepared to go to market, while the WILK team collected the required documents. When groups sign the loan agreement, they agree to use this money to purchase cows and sell them for a profit by June of next year.
Over the years, we’ve found that all these steps are necessary so LAB participants understand the importance of the loan and repaying it. The program has a 99.5% loan repayment rate. This means the money is recycled, and groups can borrow up to 4 times. Most importantly, they
learn to sell livestock on time, overriding the Maasai cultural habit of deep reluctance to sell livestock. This builds better selling habits, which are critical for drought resilience.
Learning Leads to Earning
Groups have been picking up on the lessons we’ve taught. Two of the women’s groups are cutting, storing, and selling grass to earn additional income. They have sufficient food for their own livestock and are profiting from the surplus. Grass conservation like this will help them endure future droughts. Other groups are working on intensive feeding to fatten their cows quickly.
Our LAB Program continues to generate more capable livestock keepers year after year. New ideas are catching on as groups innovate, grow their herds, and prepare for the next drought. The longstanding success of LAB bolsters income for our communities, in turn increasing the sustainability of our water projects.
