OUR WORK IN KENYA

Empowering Women through
Economic Opportunities and Water Access

South North Nexus partners with Blessed Community Empowerment Organization (BLEC) and
Innovative Concepts to empower women and communities in Turkana County, Kenya. Together,
we support communities to respond to prolonged drought, access clean water, seek livelihood
resilience opportunities, and develop adaptation strategies.

Our work in Kenya continues to grow with the Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club as a valued partner.

In Turkana County, communities face persistent challenges, including water scarcity, limited economic opportunities, and food insecurity.

Women face the greatest impact, as cultural and environmental barriers restrict their access to essential resources, economic opportunities, and decision-making.

A joint Livelihood Analysis with community members identified key challenges and opportunities, paving the way for women-led initiatives to strengthen both livelihoods and ecosystems. Empowering women, accessing clean water, and combating malnutrition emerged as urgent priorities.

READ THE REPORT

HOW WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Economic Empowerment
SNN supports women in launching and growing small businesses by providing training, resources, and networking opportunities, fostering financial independence, and creating sustainable livelihoods for their families. Through initiatives like table banking, SNN empowers women with access to credit, savings opportunities, and financial literacy training, fostering long-term economic stability. By implementing a revolving fund, SNN ensures that women entrepreneurs can sustain their businesses and keep their children in school, even during challenging times.

Access to Credit and Financial Resilience
Through initiatives like the revolving fund, SNN empowers women by providing access to credit, savings opportunities, and financial literacy training. The revolving fund ensures that women entrepreneurs can develop new businesses, sustain their businesses, and keep their children in school, even during challenging times.

Regenerative Agriculture Practices and Kitchen Gardens
SNN promotes sustainable farming and kitchen gardens, equipping families with the skills to grow nutritious food in an environmentally sustainable way. Women take an active role in farming and gardening, selling their fresh produce to schools and local markets. This not only improves family food security but creates sustainable income for their families.

Access to Clean Water for Human Consumption and Horticulture
SNN works to improve water access by implementing community-led water solutions. This ensures that households and farmers have reliable, clean water sources for daily use and agricultural needs. Solar pumping systems help reduce waste and energy when collecting water as feasible.

KENYA RESULTS BY THE NUMBERS

• 1854 women participated in workshops on 10 topics
• 1204 women business owners and 202 men received funding to start their businesses, creating:
  • 200 new businesses
  • 251 jobs through the revolving fund
• 0 default on loans provided to women
• 300 households benefited from access to water, including:
  • 8 storage tanks
  • 8 rehabilitated wells
  • 2 new wells connected to solar pumping systems
• 200 women farmers received plants and trainings in regenerative agriculture to start healthy gardens
• 60% increase in access to nutritious foods from the community gardens
• 80% increase in women’s incomes from small business development trainings and grants

STORY OF CHANGE

As a stay-at-home mother, Lokwang relied solely on her husband's income. However, his earnings were often insufficient to cover school fees and household expenses, leaving her family under constant financial strain.

With the help of a loan through the SNN/BLEC revolving fund and participation in financial education training, her business is doing well and her children are still in school.

She has also been able to grow her business, even during challenging times. Today, her shop has become a significant source of income for her household, with sales increasing by 15 percent annually.

Lokwang’s ultimate goal is to ensure her children pursue higher education and achieve the dreams she was unable to.

"I want to uplift my children so they reach greater heights and achieve more in life than I have, like getting to university. I’ve gone from struggling to thriving, and now I encourage other women to start saving, no matter how small."
- Lokwang

SNN sincerely appreciates the dedication of Paul Erukudi and the BLEC team in empowering women
and communities in Kenya. Your commitment continues to ensure that transformative opportunities
reach those who need them most.