SELF HELP GROUP APPROACH
Strengthening women-led community structures for poverty reduction in Matungu Sub County Kakamega County
The SHG Approach is an innovative concept that has been tried and tested to be a self-sustaining and cost-effective model. It is also a self-empowering model that facilitates both personal and community socio-economic and developmental growth. The Self-Help Groups are formed in Khalaba ward targeting the most poor and marginalised women in the community with very low social and economic status. The formation and strengthening process encompasses the application of PRA methods that ensure the right target group is reached and sustained. That is done through the SHGA procedures.
PROJECT DESIGN
This project is anchored around creating people institutions (SHGs, CLAs and the federation) which are locally originated, rooted and community-owned. Capacity building of the PIs and the CFs will ensure long-term local resource persons for self-sustainability. With the SHG approach, they generate local resources to address poverty which is a concept geared towards building skills and capacities of individuals to know how to fish rather than being given fish (relying on handouts). The formation and training of the groups will enable them to acquire skills and knowledge over time to help them move towards self-reliance through the establishment of profitable businesses and social development
recipients
The project targets to work with 2720 women in 160 SHGs in Khalaba ward to improve the socio-economic status and well-being of their families and children. Enhanced capacities of women on the SHG concept and ensuring that they become part of the general community stakeholder will contribute to poverty reduction when it comes to socio-economic and developmental agenda in the ward. Capacitation of SHGs to address child violations within the area will increase reporting of violation cases among children. They will be sensitised about the rights of the children and how to support them by linking them to relevant government services including skills-building opportunities. From the 2720 households of SHG members, it is estimated that 10,880 children (with approximately 4 children per household) will benefit from the programme. Children will be targeted to form the children groups in the area with the strong CLAs. Other strong CLAs will initiate community-based training for young people who dropped out of school who will be supported to develop skills to increase their access to jobs in the market.
Impact
The project aims at contributing to the reduction of the poverty level in Kakamega County through the establishment of strong and sustainable people institutions leading to increased social, economic and political empowerment of poor women and strengthened CLAs promoting child participation & protection with enhanced youth out of school livelihood through community-based training. The project has taken 20 young people for apprenticeship in carpentry, welding, masonry, tailoring and mechanics. Also, the project has formed 160 self-help groups with each group having 20 women all from Khalaba ward.
