In Lung’anyiro, Matungu sub-county, Kakamega County Kakamega, outside a tin-roofed structure, with the midday sun scorching hot, is a beehive of activity. An assortment of women and youth are busy. Some are kneading dough, others cutting the dough into small pieces and others are frying the dough on an open fire.
This site is the location of Lilian Mwanga’s soybean value addition business, an endeavour that has greatly helped to transform her livelihood.
Since 2017, Lilian has been doing value addition of soybean. With support from Anglican Development Services (ADS Western Kenya) - the Business Support Services (BSS) provider of the Equatorial Nuts – 2SCALE partnership, she has made major strides in expanding her business and enhancing her proficiency in value addition.
Lilian first learnt about soybean value addition through a farming NGOs that had a project in the area. Once the NGO left left, ADS then came in and organized a training on value addition, which she attended. Ever since ADS have continued to support her business in terms of new markets and providing opportunities for training to create new products.
Initially, she started by producing mandazi(scones), but thanks to support from ADS she has managed to get knowledge on how to produce nuts(crunches), yogurt, and milk - all from soybeans.