EKYAN Stories 2: Philipina stepped out from behind the counter

Philipina Alai ran an agrovet in Muhoroni, Kisumu County. She sold seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and spraying equipment. The business worked, but it stayed within four walls.

After EKYAN, what changed was not what she knew but how she used it. She stepped into farms and fields, meeting farmers where decisions about pests, soil and planting are actually made. She became the person farmers called before they made a mistake, not after. She now serves over 150 farmers, with two staff running the shop while she runs the field.

Her activity on Kuza OneNetwork also made her business visible to finance. On the strength of her transactions, reach and consistency, she accessed input financing through a programme partner with no collateral and no long credit history: just proof of work.