First Lady H.E. Rachel Ruto's Joyful Women Initiative (JoyWo) celebrated 16 years of empowering Kenyan women, having circulated over KSh 4 billion and helped launch an estimated 300,000 businesses through its innovative Table Banking model.

• JoyWo, founded on August 29, 2009, focuses on providing financial access to women often excluded from formal banking systems.
• The organization’s success is built on Table Banking, a group-based model where 10 to 30 members meet monthly to save and borrow, with funds growing through peer-to-peer accountability.
• Currently, JoyWo boasts over 240,000 members across more than 16,000 groups, with over KSh 2.8 billion in circulation, and is now leveraging digitisation through mobile table-banking tools.

During the 16th anniversary celebrations of Joyful Women Organization (JoyWO) at Kasarani Stadium on November 27, 2025, President William Ruto encouraged women across Kenya to purchase homes in the government's Affordable Housing Projects.

• President Ruto urged women to consider the 40,000 social housing units within the larger 230,000 houses being constructed, highlighting their affordability.
• The event also saw President Ruto encourage women to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) and praised First Lady Rachel Ruto for founding JoyWO, which empowers women economically through Table Banking.
• Notable attendees included Zimbabwe's Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi, representing First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.

President William Ruto urged Kenyan women to utilize government affirmative action initiatives, like the Hustler Fund, for economic empowerment during the 16th anniversary celebrations of the Joyful Women Organisation (JoyWo).

• The Hustler Fund, with its low interest rates and flexible repayment periods, was inspired by JoyWo's table banking model.
• JoyWo, founded by First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto, has created over 300,000 businesses, impacted over three million lives, and facilitated borrowing of more than KSh 4 billion through table banking in 44 counties.
• The organization plans to go digital to reach more women, having distributed 50,000 tanks and planted 50 million trees, 70 percent of which are fruit trees.