Gender

Makueni County has reaffirmed its determination to eradicate extreme poverty, declaring that no resident will be left behind in the push toward Sustainable Development Goal 1.

Speaking at the official launch of Kenya’s National Ultra-Poor Graduation Strategy on Tuesday, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili highlighted the county’s poverty rate of 39.7 percent and positioned the new national framework as a perfect fit with Makueni’s long-standing focus on inclusive growth, social protection, and economic empowerment.

Representing Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., Mulili announced that the county is already piloting the graduation programme with significant budgetary allocations, including dedicated support for persons with disabilities from the poorest households.

She further pledged county co-financing for targeted interventions aimed at strengthening local social safety nets and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the ultra-poor.

The event was also attended by PS state department for Social Protection and Senior Affairs Joseph Motari, Taita Taveta governor Andrew Mwandime and County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni.

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By 2023, Catherine Kyalo and her husband, Kyalo Kaluma of Muumani in Kithungo/Kitundu Ward, were considered a peasant couple struggling to make ends meet.

In 2024, a national government program, the Kenya Social and Economic Inclusion Project (KSEIP), identified Catherine and other women, enrolling them in business development training and mentorship. Each member later received KES 30,000 to start an income-generating venture. Catherine chose irrigation farming, supported by a nearby spring whose water flows by gravity. She ventured into cabbage farming and made a profit of about KES 45,000.

Fast forward to 2025: Catherine is now one of the most successful irrigation farmers in the area. She is currently growing off-season green maize, which she hopes to sell before December 2025 for over KES 60,000.

The program, commonly referred to as the Ultra-Poor Graduation initiative, equips households in extreme poverty with the foundation they need to build lasting livelihoods. Through a package that includes business training, seed capital/cash transfers, and a strong Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) structure, the program enables participants to grow stable enterprises and achieve self-reliance.

So far, the program has reached 3,000 households in Mbooni and Kibwezi, graduating them from extreme poverty to stable income generation through village enterprises.

The County Government of Makueni, through the Department of Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services is now benchmarking on these successes as it prepares to roll out its own Ultra-Poor Graduation scheme.

The county initiative also includes Makueni County Empowerment Fund (MCEF), which provides financial support to already graduated groups and individuals to further enhance sustainable income generation and financial inclusion under Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s inclusive development agenda.

Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Thursday led a women’s empowerment forum in Ivingoni Nzambani Ward, rallying women to take charge of their social and economic growth.

The meeting brought together women from across the ward for discussions on key topics such as healthcare, economic empowerment programs, and leadership participation. The initiative aimed to inspire women to take up active roles in politics, business, and community decision-making.

Mulili reaffirmed the County’s commitment to supporting women in achieving full empowerment and equitable representation in all spheres of leadership.

During the forum, County Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordinator Theresa Maweu sensitized participants on GBV prevention and urged communities to safeguard children from sexual and gender-based abuse, a message reinforced by Chief Officer for Gender, Nicholis Mutisya.

Mulili further called on the community to abandon harmful cultural practices such as gum cutting, which endanger children’s health.

She also encouraged women affected by fistula and other reproductive health complications to seek medical care at county health facilities without fear or stigma.

The Makueni County Assembly, through the Gender and Public Accounts Committees, has voiced its support for the Makueni County Empowerment Fund Digital Lending System, alongside the reviewed guidelines, regulations, and strategic plan for the fund’s implementation.

During a sensitization forum for the two committees on the digital fund and its accompanying regulations, the MCAs lauded the initiative as a true social protection program aimed at providing an economic lifeline to ultra-poor and vulnerable households. The fund seeks to enable them to access affordable credit and gradually transition into higher income brackets, ultimately empowering beneficiaries to qualify for production capital from conventional financial institutions and money markets.

Through the newly developed digital lending platform, the county aims to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in fund management while ensuring easy access for citizens across all wards. The MCAs will play a key role in providing oversight during the implementation of the fund.

County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni, who led the session, reaffirmed Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s commitment to using innovation as a tool for inclusive growth, noting that the Fund will “unlock the potential of our people and help them move from survival to prosperity.”

Over 220 persons with mobility challenges in Makueni have received modern and customised wheelchairs in a life-changing initiative spearheaded by the County Government of Makueni in partnership with Hope Mobility Kenya. The support is anchored on a 5-year working partnership aimed at enhancing the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities

For the beneficiaries, the wheelchairs are a much-needed reprieve, enabling them to move with ease and perform many daily tasks unaided. Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s administration continues to champion inclusivity, ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the county’s development journey.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, Hope Mobility Kenya Executive Director Jack Muthui and Gender Executive Committee Member Eng. Sebastian Kyoni presided over the handing ceremony on Wednesday.

In the last financial year, the county government issued 800 wheelchairs, 400 of which were donated by Hope Mobility.

Looking ahead, plans are underway to transform the Makueni Integrated Vocational Education Centre into a Centre of Excellence for modification of assistive devices, positioning it as a hub for supporting persons with disabilities across the Lower Eastern region.