Agnes has poured her heart into farming in a rural village in Kieni West, Kenya, for more than 20 years. Together with her husband, Peter, she raises their four children and three grandchildren, while tending to livestock such as sheep and poultry and growing potatoes, maise, beans, and wheat. However, a sudden health scare shook Agnes’ life in 2024.
During a routine visit to a community clinic, her blood pressure and blood sugar suddenly increased, prompting emergency treatment at a hospital. Agnes faced the mounting cost of medical treatment and the burden of repaying her VisionFund loan. And as a person living with diabetes, the situation felt even more overwhelming. Fortunately, Agnes had the support of VisionFund, the financial inclusion arm of World Vision, which provides small loans, savings, and insurance services to help vulnerable families build sustainable livelihoods, protect families from shocks, and create brighter futures for children.
Since April 2024, Agnes had been taking agribusiness loans from VisionFund Kenya to grow her farm. Those loans came bundled with credit life insurance and Afya (a Swahili term meaning health) cash, which proved lifesaving during her crisis. From her hospital bed, Agnes contacted her loan officer from VisionFund Kenya. Upon hearing her situation, VisionFund Kenya immediately cleared her outstanding loan balance through the credit life insurance, freeing her from financial stress so she could focus on recovery. Afya cash, on the other hand, covered her hospitalisation expenses and provided additional funds for her medication. She was also able to take out her second loan of KES 50,000 ($386), which helped her purchase a refrigerator to store her diabetes medicines safely. “I was able to recover without the stress of loan repayment. The insurance gave me money to buy medicine. I have even encouraged my neighbours to take VisionFund loans so they too can benefit,” Agnes shares.
Just one month after her hospitalisation, Agnes returned to her farm. But this time, she manages her workload more carefully, prioritising her health and complete recovery. Agnes says insurance is essential, especially for people like her. While government insurance exists in Kenya, the KES 2,500 ($19) annual cost was previously beyond her reach. Agnes’ story shows the importance of having a safety net when life takes an unexpected turn. By pairing loans with insurance, VisionFund ensures that farmers like Agnes can continue growing their businesses, safeguard their families, and recover from crises without sliding back into poverty and losing the stability they’ve worked so tirelessly to build.
Through VisionFund’s support, Agnes can now embrace the spirit of Hakuna Matata (a Swahili term for “no worries”) as she focuses on her health recovery and her family’s future.