Overall targets
The project seeks to build the capacity of a group of 15 widows and cascade to other vulnerable women (WVW) in Kibera and potentially reach the entire informal dwellers in Kibera Kenya. The aim is to empower them through technical capacity building to develop successful small businesses and contribute more towards improved family livelihoods and general community development. Likewise, creating sustainable income, reduction of the grinding poverty and hopelessness. Furthermore, with the novel Coronavirus pandemic these women and slum dwellers generally are the most vulnerable in terms of lack of access to food, healthcare, water and even affording the recommended health guidelines such as social distancing because of one roomed structures they live in. Covid-19 promises to be devastating to people who live in the slums with poor infrastructure and lack of basic social amenities. It is, further, exacerbated by lack of daily chores which they depend on for survival. This action’s main approach proposes training of 15 widows to participate in income generating small scale businesses as the direct beneficiaries while cascading to potential indirect beneficiaries. This is to bridge the “gap” between communities and poverty reduction mechanisms commonly attributed to the low capacity of communities to identify, participate and make informed decisions on their own gainful opportunities. Likewise, missed opportunities for government policies to prioritize small businesses and increased investments in business development and incubation.
Immediate targets
• To guide the participants to understand the concept of entrepreneurship and business • To guide the participant in generating and selecting appropriate business ideas. • To guide participants develop a viable business plan • To introduce participants to basic business management skills • To provide participants with the basic skills in establishing Group Savings and Loan scheme.
Target groups
Widows
Resume
Kenya is a lower middle-income country with a growth rate of 5.7% per annum. However, major disparities in economic and social mobility exist within the gender divide. The country’s gender inequality index is at 0.549 ranking Kenya at 137 out of 160 countries globally as at 2018 showing that women are underrepresented in both political and economic activities despite being the majority at 51% of the population. Likewise the number of women becoming widows mainly through AIDS related deaths has been increasing on a daily basis due to the death of their spouses. As a result of such deaths, the women face insurmountable challenges within the, the family and the society at large and these greatly affect them psychologically, socio-economically and spiritually. The project's specific objectives are; 1. To enhance the capacity of the selected group of widows by means of promoting ability to enhance their skills in agricultural and environment protection activities. 2. To improve awareness through the connection between health and good nutrition achieved through promotion of context specific climate smart agriculture. 3. To support widows’ self-development, facilitating, transformation and economic independence at the micro-enterprise level.