The Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP) Component 2 on Social Economic Inclusion is a significant initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of residents in informal settlements.
The national project representative on the social economic inclusion component, Zenah Kurui, said that in Uasin Gishu County, residents of Kipkaren and Mwanzo informal settlements were the main beneficiaries of the KISIP II programme.
Ms. Kurui emphasised that the programme will be transformative for Uasin Gishu’s marginalised population and will significantly enhance community empowerment, highlighting the importance of involving residents in the decision-making processes to directly identify their challenges and address them through effective solutions.
“Under the Social Economic Inclusion component, we are actively involving all residents in decision-making processes to identify the issues affecting them directly and bring solutions through capacity building, training programs, workshops, and the creation of labour-based job opportunities,” she expounded.
Speaking at the start of the verification process for the KISIP II projects in Eldoret, the County Director for Housing, Ms. Beatrice Menjo, acknowledged that the process has seen active participation and ownership by residents of Mwanzo and Kipkaren.
She emphasized that gender equality and the inclusion of vulnerable groups were central to the programme’s success.
“We have looked into gender and vulnerable groups’ inclusion to promote gender equality by ensuring that women, youth, and persons with disabilities are given equal opportunities for participation in the development process,” said Ms. Menjo.
KISIP II, in collaboration with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), will also focus on providing skills development training for the youth, enabling them to access income-generating opportunities.
The programme offers training in critical skills such as plumbing, masonry, carpentry, welding, and mechanics. “These skills are designed to give youth sustainable job opportunities, even beyond the programme’s duration,” says NITA representative Kevin Mutuli.
The programme also aims to provide support to individuals at risk of gender-based violence, ensuring that vulnerable populations are safeguarded as they benefit from the various empowerment initiatives.
Veronica Koech, the programme consultant from Pamoja Trust, explained that KISIP II also focuses on improving social infrastructure in the region. This includes the development of social halls that will serve as community gathering spaces and enhance women’s groups through such groups as savings and investment groups (chamas), thus promoting economic inclusion for women in the communities.
Through these efforts, she adds that KISIP II is set to create a more inclusive, empowered, and sustainable future for the residents of Kipkaren and Mwanzo informal settlements.
By Kiptanui Cherono