From Aid Recipient to Farm Manager: Aisha's Journey

## The Turning Point (December 2023):

Aisha's neighbor, Grace Achol, attended KGS's first information session about the new farm project and upcoming training. Grace excitedly told Aisha about the opportunity.

"Grace said, 'Aisha, you're smart, you speak English, you learn fast—why are you sitting here doing nothing? Come to the training with me.' I said no three times. Finally, she dragged me. I went just to make her happy."

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### The Transformation: "Learning Changed Everything"

**Week 1 of Training (January 2024): Breaking Down Prejudice**

The first training session was under a thorn tree at the KGS site. Aisha sat quietly in the back, skeptical and uncomfortable.

"I thought: I don't belong here. These are uneducated villagers who know farming. What am I doing?"

But something unexpected happened. The trainers—Sebit, Susan, and Ezekiel—weren't treating farming as manual labor. They talked about business, profitability, market analysis, strategies.

"They used words like 'investment,' 'ROI,' 'customer segmentation.' This wasn't just digging in the dirt—this was entrepreneurship. That's when I started paying attention."

**Week 2-3: Hands-On Discovery**

Aisha's education and quick learning became assets:
- She easily understood the math behind spacing, water calculations, and profit margins
- Her literacy skills meant she could read seed packets and take detailed notes
- Her tailoring experience (precision, attention to detail) transferred surprisingly well to planting and pruning

"I learned that farming isn't about being uneducated—it's about being scientific. You need to understand soil chemistry, plant biology, water management. It's complex. I respected it."

**Week 4-5: The First Planting**

During hands-on sessions, Aisha planted her first bed of kale at the KGS demonstration farm. She was meticulous: measuring spacing exactly, watering precisely according to instructions, checking for pests daily.

"The trainers noticed I was serious. Sebit asked if I wanted to help with afternoon farm maintenance after training sessions. I said yes. I started spending 8 hours a day at the farm—training in morning, volunteering in afternoon. I couldn't stop. It was like discovering a part of myself I didn't know existed."

**Week 6-8: From Student to Standout**

By the end of the 8-week program, Aisha was the top performer:
- 100% attendance
- Perfect scores on practical assessments
- Her assigned bed had the healthiest, most productive kale in the cohort
- Other trainees asked HER for advice

"When I graduated and received my certificate, I cried. Not because of the paper—because I finally felt like I had a future. I had a skill, I had knowledge, I had purpose."

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### The Opportunity: "Will You Stay and Help Us Grow?"

In early March 2024, after the first training cohort graduated, KGS faced a challenge: the farm was expanding rapidly, and the three founders couldn't manage alone. They needed to hire employees.

Sebit approached Aisha: *"We've seen your work. We need someone to help manage daily operations—supervising planting, monitoring crop health, training new workers. Would you consider joining KGS as our first employee?"*

**Aisha's Hesitation:**

"I was scared. I'd never had a real job before. What if I failed? What if other Somalis judged me for doing 'peasant work'? What if I couldn't handle the responsibility?"

But Grace encouraged her: *"You've been volunteering for free because you love it. Why not get paid for what you're good at?"*

Aisha accepted.

**Position:** Farm Supervisor
**Salary:** 8,000 KSH per month (plus performance bonuses)
**Responsibilities:**
- Supervise 4 farm workers
- Monitor crop health and pest management
- Coordinate planting and harvesting schedules
- Assist with training new cohorts
- Maintain farm records and reports

**Start Date:** March 15, 2024