Bishop Stephen Njoroge visits a stand during an exhibition organised to empower members at Embu Deliverance
Church /ALICE WAITHERAIn Embu County, faith is meeting finance. The Deliverance Church has introduced a unique tradition—an annual business week every September.
Bishop Stephen Njoroge, who spearheads the initiative, said the event includes exhibitions where traders display their goods and services, alongside training sessions on financial management.
“This is a tradition we have created. Every year, we set aside one week in September to encourage each other to engage in business and improve our welfare,” Njoroge explained.
The goal is to help members sharpen their financial skills, showcase businesses and build networks that boost livelihoods.
Members are urged to buy from each other before seeking services outside the church, creating an ecosystem of mutual support.
For the unemployed and those struggling to make ends meet, the exhibitions offer fresh business ideas and connections.
But the tough economy, high loan interest rates and weak cash flow have weighed down many ventures, the bishop lamented.
“If you offer a loan at 20 per cent interest, how will someone repay? The government must make credit affordable and ensure money circulates at the grassroots,” he said, warning that struggling small businesses mean fewer jobs and weaker local economies.
Njoroge also stressed the importance of security and political stability, noting that some Embu businesses targeted during the Saba Saba protests in July remain closed—three months later. “It’s painful to see years of work destroyed in a day,” he added.
For traders like Mary Wanja, who deals in beauty products, the church’s business week is a lifeline.
“It has brought me potential clients and given me hope for better sales,” she said, adding that small businesses hold untapped potential for youth employment.
Her optimism is shared by Richard Mwaura, a fourth-year Embu University student who roasts maize to pay his rent.
Invited to the exhibition, he said such initiatives give dignity to small ‘hustles’.
“One sack of maize gives me about Sh2,000 profit. Without this business, I’d be stranded. The government should reduce punitive levies so more of us can thrive,” he said.
As the church compound buzzes with displays of wares and stories of resilience, the message is clear: for many in Embu, faith is not just about salvation—it is about survival and the gospel now comes with a side of entrepreneurship.
Instant analysis
The Deliverance Church initiative in Embu reflects a growing trend where religious institutions step in to fill economic gaps left by the government. By blending faith with finance, the church is not only fostering entrepreneurship but also creating a community-based safety net for members squeezed by high interest rates, weak cash flow and job scarcity. Exhibitions and financial literacy training provide hope and practical skills for small traders and youth hustlers, while reinforcing solidarity through buying from each other. In a struggling economy, such grassroots models highlight how faith spaces are evolving into incubators of resilience and local economic empowerment.
