Nairobi: Members of ten women groups in Central Maragoli Ward, Vihiga County, are ecstatic after receiving financial support under the Widows Grassroots Empowerment Programme. The funds aim at empowering women economically through income-generating activities so that they attain sustainable livelihoods for their families.
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative, which targets mainly widows and other needy women at the grassroots, also intends to provide beneficiaries with the resources they need to turn their skills and ideas into thriving economic ventures, while improving the welfare of their entire households. Speaking during the event, women empowerment advocate Velma Mudanyi stated that empowering women economically was the cornerstone of building stronger families and more resilient communities.
Mudanyi noted that this was only the beginning as they plan to extend similar empowerment programmes across Vihiga County to reach more women. “This is not going to end here. We want to see this empowerment reach women across Vihiga County and create opportunities that can uplift their living standards, strengthen their families, and enable them to build sustainable livelihoods,” Mudanyi said.
She added that women carry within them the determination and ability to transform their lives, and all they need is the right support and opportunities to participate in building a stronger economy. For the beneficiaries, this support means far more than money; it is a step towards independence, dignity, and the ability to show up for their families in bigger ways.
One of the beneficiaries, Mary Agola, expressed that the support would give them an opportunity to improve their livelihoods and stand on their own feet. “This initiative is important to us because it gives women an opportunity to do something for themselves and support their families. Many of us have ideas and the determination to work, but lack support to get started and grow,” she said.
Mudanyi emphasized that empowering a woman creates a ripple effect that reaches far beyond her, touching her family and, ultimately, the whole community. “When we empower a woman, we empower a family. When we strengthen women at the grassroots, we strengthen the entire community,” she maintained.
The programme is expected to help the supported groups grow their economic activities, opening the door to greater financial independence and stronger participation for women at the grassroots.
