Pauline Wanjala is a field manager in Webuye District, Kenya. She manages five field officers who serve nearly 500 farmers. She is also part of our fast-track management training program for talented staff.
How did you first become interested in agriculture?
From childhood, I played around with jembes [agriculture tool] and planted some crops. Seeing them grow has always made me happy.
I took advice from my parents who said that if you take up agriculture, you will be in a better position in life. Other industries have very high competition, but in agriculture competition for jobs is less, and so they encouraged me to go into agriculture.
What was your background before coming to One Acre Fund?
I completed my B.S in Horticulture at Egerton University [near Nakuru, Kenya]. Afterwards, I worked with Nzoia [Sugar Company] as a head woman, in charge of harvest and managing the cane cutters. After Nzoia, I joined One Acre Fund in 2008.
Describe how you started working with One Acre Fund and your progression to field manager.
I came in as a Field Officer in Lutacho [village], where we were planting soya beans as part of a trial.
How long was it before you were promoted to field manager?
I joined in August 2008 and was promoted in October of the same year.
Did you grow anything for yourself this year?
I rented a shamba [piece of land] where I planted 1/2 acre of maize. It is doing very well.
What skills have you developed at One Acre Fund?
One Acre Fund has taught me how to work in teams and how to develop leadership skills. When you are in charge of more than six people and over 1,000 farmers, it makes you feel as if you are really capable. I see that I have made the right career choice. There is no other job I would want to do. The job that we do makes us tough and able to handle any problems we encounter. I wish to be here a very a long time because I know we are growing and expanding!
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced at One Acre Fund?
During enrollment, it is challenging because you are enrolling farmers whose background you don’t know. You find that farmers pretend to be good during enrollment, but when it comes to repayment, you see their real faces. That is when you learn that the farmer you recruited is not the same farmer you are facing for repayment. During enrollment meetings, you find that they are very punctual. But during repayment, you might not even see someone for weeks and weeks.
How do you deal with that challenge?
You visit the farmer in the early part of the year and try to collect 100 Ksh [$1.30 USD] one week, maybe 50 Ksh [$0.75 USD] the next week, so you can determine if later this farmer will either give you a headache or will give you a smooth way. One farmer will come and pay 500 Ksh [$6 USD] and then come the next week and pay 800 Ksh [$10 USD]. This is a farmer that will go smoothly. But if there is a farmer who comes with 20 Ksh [$0.30 USD] and he has a full acre of credit for 8,000 Ksh [$100 USD], if he pays 20 or 50 or 80 Ksh per week, he will have problems with repayment. But if you keep persisting with that farmer week after week, you can solve that problem.
What are your strategies for managing your team?
Once we have a problem, we always put it on the table so each and every field officer talks about the problems or challenges he or she is facing in their location. At the same time, we are going to share the successes. So when we find something that works in one location, another location copies it and goes to implement it in their location.
What do you enjoy the most about working at One Acre Fund?
With other organizations, you are only given the job to do. But in One Acre Fund you are given the job to do and the way to do it. What I like most is that I am told, for instance, to go collect repayment. But that is not the only thing I am told. I am told you are supposed to do this and that to go for repayment. So they always give me directions and support. When I am stuck, there is that team that comes to pull you up – you are not left alone.
How has the management training program helped you?
It is giving me a clearer picture of the organization and is telling me that I am a leader and that I am supposed to lead a good number of people. I am looking forward to leading as many people as I can, at the district level and beyond.