Coffee World Change Initiative – Young TIT – Parent Empowerment

February 2025 Coffee World Change Initiative – Empowering Mama Evans Through Young TIT’s Parent Empowerment Programme

At Coffee World, we believe that empowering families is essential to building brighter futures. Through our Coffee World Change initiative, we continue to partner with Young Teens in Talent (Young TIT) to provide opportunities for both the children and their families in Mathare, Nairobi. This February, we are excited to share our latest milestone: supporting Mama Evans, the second parent to be empowered through Young TIT’s Parent Empowerment Programme.

The Parent Empowerment Programme, launched by Young TIT in 2024, was designed to uplift parents of the children they support by offering microfinance loans to elevate or kickstart small businesses. The first parent to benefit from the program, Baba Ochibo, successfully launched his boda boda transport business last October (see our last post). This month, Mama Evans, a fried chicken vendor working from a small, insecure shack on the street, received her own life-changing opportunity.

Mama Evans had been working part-time as a street vendor, using a paraffin lamp to sell her food at night. The lamp was dim and unsafe, posing a high risk of causing a fire—an all-too-common occurrence in the slums. Additionally, she faced the challenge of renting freezer space to keep her chicken fresh, which came at a steep daily cost. These challenges limited her earnings and opportunities to grow her business.

With the support of Coffee World Change, Mama Evans received a microfinance loan that will be repaid to Young TIT, allowing them to empower another parent in the future. The funds enabled her to make several essential investments:

• Eco Chest Freezer: She can now buy chicken in bulk at better prices, eliminate her daily freezer rental fees, and even rent out freezer space to others for extra income.
• Solar-Powered Light from Sun King: This powerful light is 200 times brighter than her old paraffin lamp, reducing the fire hazard and providing a safer, well-lit environment. The light also doubles as a radio and phone charger, enabling her to charge others’ phones for a fee in a community where electricity is scarce.
• Secure Metal Door: By installing a secure door on her shack, Mama Evans can now store her items safely at her vending site, allowing her to transition from part-time to full-time selling without the hassle of moving her goods every day.

These improvements have already started transforming her small business. Mama Evans is now in a better position to grow her income, support her family, and create a safer environment for her community. Her resilience, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit are truly inspiring.

We are incredibly proud to play a part in uplifting families like Mama Evans’. This initiative reflects our deep commitment to fostering long-term, sustainable change in communities across the world. Every cup of coffee you enjoy helps support life-changing programs like this, and we are grateful to have you on this journey with us.