For Maimuna Ismail, livestock is more than an asset, it is life itself. A herder of goats and cows in Wayu Ward and a former livestock insurance policyholder, her livelihood and that of her children depends primarily on her animals.

I do not buy milk for my household; I provide it for my children daily. When I have guests, I can slaughter a goat or sheep, and when I need to pay school fees or meet urgent needs, I sell some of my livestock.

But life as a herder is never without risk. Droughts threaten everything she has worked for. “Whenever the rains delay and water levels in our dams begin to drop, I know that a drought season is approaching. Despite all our efforts such as buying water, transporting fodder, grazing animals further away, prolonged drought often leads to significant losses,” Maimuna shares.

Her first experience with livestock insurance brought hope. With her husband’s support, she paid a premium and received payout during the prolonged drought of 2024.

The money helped me buy food and water for my livestock. It showed me that insurance could really protect our livelihoods, especially for women who manage households and animals every day.

But her second experience was disheartening. Payouts never came in, even after there was clear evidence losses had already occurred. In addition, regional variations in payouts made it harder to convince her or others to renew their subscription.

I later learnt that payouts vary depending on the region and environmental indicators. At one point, we heard that herders in Hola received higher payouts than those in Wayu. Yet, Wayu is often drier. One explanation given was that Wayu has more “Mathenge” that’s ever green in colour.

Today, Maimuna has turned her experiences into action. She has enrolled as a Village Insurance Promoter and, through training with the BIMA project, has gained a deeper understanding of Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI).

I want people in my community to know that IBLI is livestock insurance. When drought comes, whether prolonged or moderate, those enrolled will receive payouts to buy food and water for their animals. I have learnt how IBLI works, the premiums to pay, the number of livestock to insure, and how to raise awareness in my community.

Maimuna’s journey from herder, to policyholder, to promoter reflects both the challenges and hope of her community. Equipped with knowledge, experience, and trust, she now stands as a bridge between the insurance system and her community, guiding them to protect their livestock, their livelihoods, and their future.