Coastal fishing communities in Kwale County are participating in a Women Leadership and Empowerment program that aims to build women’s capacity to participate fully in the sustainable use and management of marine and fisheries resources and to share the economic benefits.
The program provides microfinance credit to the women to enhance their self-sufficiency. It also promotes their leadership skills by developing and nurturing champions for various conservation and community development initiatives. It targets direct marine resource users including fishmongers, octopus fishers, sardine traders, gleaners, seaweed farmers and leaders of Beach Management Unit (BMU).
This aligns with the priorities of both the County Government of Kwale and the national government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, that are focused on empowering local communities and enhancing the productivity of key sectors to drive economic turnaround
The program is running a customized three-month Leadership and Management Program (LAMP) training to lay the foundation for gender-responsive interventions. A section of the 500 farmers practicing restorative seaweed aquaculture formed the inaugural LAMP cohort of 56 people – 48 women and 8 men who graduated in a recent ceremony led by the Governor of Kwale County, H.E. Fatuma Achani. The inaugural LAMP graduation was organized by The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with the County Government of Kwale, Kenya Fisheries Service and its partners
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, H.E. Achani said: “This initiative aligns with our county development priorities of empowering women and youth. We are committed to ensuring that the impact of this training is felt across Kwale County”.
On his part, the Assistant Director, Kenya Fisheries Service, Mr Patrice Jilani. “I acknowledge the significant role that this program plays in equipping individuals with the skills needed to effectively manage resources and drive community development. The graduates have the task to apply the knowledge they have acquired to ensure success.”
The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Policy Advisor, Sheila Mulili confirmed the organisation’s commitment to the initiative saying “We believe in strengthening the capacity of the custodians of our natural resources, especially women and youth. This will enable them to address the challenges they face in accessing and benefiting from fisheries and marine resources.”
In addition to capacity building, The Nature Conservancy is working with partners to develop the aquaculture value chain and restore degraded marine areas in the county.
