How Rosemary turned hardship into harvest—and a secure future

Farming through grief and building toward resilience

In the quiet village of Naya in Siaya County, Kenya, Rosemary Okuku has built a thriving farm through determination, hard work, and a single tool that changed everything. After becoming a widow and taking on the care of five children—three still under her roof—Rosemary was left with just one asset: a three-quarter acre plot of land.

To feed and support her family, she turned to farming.

She planted maize during the rainy season and vegetables during the dry months, using buckets to haul water from a nearby stream. With that limited irrigation, she could only manage to harvest from a small section of land. Still, her kale and spinach quickly gained a strong local reputation for quality—and demand soon outpaced what she could produce. Neighbors would frequently ask to buy vegetables, but Rosemary often didn’t have enough to meet their needs. The limitations were frustrating, especially when she knew she could grow more if she had the means.

A turning point: discovering KickStart’s Starter Pump

Though Rosemary wanted to expand, she believed irrigation equipment was out of reach—until she attended a field day hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture in Siaya County, alongside her women’s table banking group, Taraji.

There, she discovered the KickStart Starter Pump. She was struck by its affordability and recognized it as the missing piece. Determined to act, she sold a goat and purchased the pump through the Siaya Seed Sacco just in time for the dry season. Her decision marked a turning point—one that would soon reshape her harvest capacity.

Boosting vegetable yields by more than 20%

With her new Starter Pump, Rosemary immediately expanded her irrigated area. Her monthly vegetable yield jumped from about 550 lbs to 683 lbs—a 24% increase.

She was also able to sell her vegetables at a higher price. Before the seasonal rains even began, her selling price rose from roughly $0.14 to $0.16 per pound—a 12.5% price increase, making every harvest more profitable.

With both production and pricing on the rise, Rosemary turned her farm into a consistent income generator. The increase in harvest output meant she no longer had to turn away customers. Instead, she began building steady relationships with regular buyers and supplying her neighbors throughout the season.

Expanding her poultry business by 300%

The increased vegetable output also created new opportunities beyond the garden. Rosemary began feeding her surplus kale and spinach to her chickens, cutting feed costs and expanding her poultry flock from 5 to 20—a 300% increase.

She now sells a crate of eggs each week, adding reliable income to her household budget. The manure from her chickens is also used to fertilize her maize, where she’s already seeing stronger growth and a promising harvest.

The benefits have extended across her whole farm. With lower costs, higher output, and added streams of income, Rosemary has turned her smallholding into a more resilient and productive system.

“The pump has made me a manager.”

Today, Rosemary manages multiple parts of her farm—vegetables, poultry, and soon, fish.

“The pump has made me a manager,” she says with a smile. “I now manage so many things on my farm. My chicken, my vegetable farm, and very soon I will be selling fish.”

Her plan to construct a fishpond is already underway. She envisions raising tilapia and using integrated systems to maximize resources—like using pond water for irrigation and producing fish waste that can help fertilize crops. Her goal is to create a self-sustaining farm that supports both nutrition and income year-round.

Providing for her family and planning ahead

Thanks to the stability from farming, Rosemary now pays school fees for the three children under her care. One attends Umina Secondary School, and two are enrolled at Marvelous Academy. She is committed to supporting them through college.

To build toward that goal, she plans to begin saving through the Siaya Seed Sacco. With steady farm income from year-round harvests and a clear financial plan, she is working toward long-term security. The pump has not only improved her farm—it’s helped restore her confidence and long-term outlook.

From survival to sustainable growth

Rosemary’s story began with loss and uncertainty, but through irrigation and initiative, she has transformed her small farm into a sustainable livelihood. She’s increased her yields by over 20%, raised her prices, tripled her poultry flock, and introduced new income streams—all while feeding her family and investing in their future.

The Starter Pump gave Rosemary the means to expand her farm—and the confidence to plan for what’s next.

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