Loima/Turkana North – November 17, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
As the County Government and Turkana Christian Development Mission (TCDM) enter the final stage of the Accelerating access and availability of enhanced lifesaving, Prevention and Treatment services (ACCEPT) project’s exit strategy, community visits across Loima and Turkana North sub-counties are highlighting a powerful success story. The rise of CHUSLA, a community-driven savings model reshaping livelihoods and strengthening health systems.
CHUSLA, an adapted Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model, was introduced to empower Community Health Promoters (CHPs) and households financially. It addressed the lack of access to formal banking, unstable incomes, and the economic strain facing community health volunteers.
Today, all 20 Community Units under the project have fully operational CHUSLA groups with 15–25 registered members each. Most of these groups meet twice a month where they contribute between Kshs 500 and Kshs 2,000 in savings.
These groups make money from the interests earned through the issued loans. This December, when most of these groups meet to open their iron savings boxes, most of them will be walking away with substantial amounts, making their December holiday and back-to-school plans in January easier.
Save the Children boosted each of these groups with Kshs 100,000 seed fund. In Kangalita, the 45 team members recently celebrated Kshs 210,000 in savings. The Lokoyo team issued about Kshs 106,000 in loans, saving about Kshs 50,000. The Napeililim Health Promoters team is the best performing in CHUSLA savings, and are set to sub-divide Kshs 419,500 among 17 members.
Prior to this adapted saving culture, most of these health promoters were dependent on purely salaries and struggled to keep the family welfare afloat. Some were not able to reach their target population in the hard-to-reach areas given the distance and transportation costs.
Mary Ngala, a CHP and the Chairlady, Napeililim group shared that previously stipend delays would stall their plans, but with the savings plan, they are able to handle all family affairs, “We now have money consistently to support our businesses and this has restored our respect within the community,”
Additionally, a CHP and member, Napeililim, Paul Chegem shared “I serviced a Kshs 70,000 loan which helped me expand my livestock business, adding and selling even more goats than ever before,”
“I never imagined saving even 50 shillings,” says Pauline Nakwa, CHA from Nakurio. “Nakurio and Lorengipi are 23 KMs apart, now, I can move from one household to another with ease as well as support my family and the community when called upon”
For many households, CHUSLA has become a safety net. “Our life is different now as we have savings to sustain ourselves. When my child falls sick or needs school fees, a quick loan can help me seek treatment immediately,” says Etabo Ekitela, a CHP from Lokoyo.
On the other hand, Jackline Akiru, a CHP from Lokoyo shared she first learned how to count money and plan her finances, and she saved money for the first time through CHUSLA. In Naduat village, Elizabeth Ikadon, a CHP shared that, “Now that our families are well taken care of, we are able to fully commit to our communities and be available to provide them with the required services,”
County Government officials say CHUSLA is more than a financial tool—it’s a pillar of a resilient community health system. “Empowered and economically stable CHPs deliver better and uninterrupted services,” notes Jonathan Long’iti, Deputy Director for Community Health Services.
Mutuku Kamau, a Social Development Officer who previously took the CHPs through a financial literacy sensitization, noted that CHPS have been able to utilize CHUSLA as a financial backstop to their work. “They are able to make use of CHUSLA to get loans to fund their other health-related activities such as transportation to and from work,”
TCDM affirms that CHUSLA is now fully embedded in communities. “These groups are registered and community-owned, our intention is for them to thrive beyond ACCEPT,” said Martin Imoni, Health and Nutrition Officer at TCDM. He added that, “As we come to the close of this project, we will no longer be there to monitor you, we therefore trust that you will continue the good practice for sustainability,”
Three years later, CHUSLA has grown into a dependable community asset, strengthening health response by first strengthening household economies.
Story by: Esther Mwangi, Assistant Director – Public Communication and Media Relations
