PROBLEMS FACING FEMININE GENDER IN ARID AND SEMI ARID REGION IN KENYA
These are areas with scanty rain or no rain at all.People here live a simple life with basic facilities; pastoralists go round perusing receding pastures. Women walk for long distances looking for a simply bucket of water with the heat and lack of most basic amenities men sit under shades playing indoor games.
Most of the work is done by women; some men may be occupied looking after cattle and goats.
PasturesMany years ago with scanty population the pastures were sufficient. But today population is increasing and people from the civilized part of the country are also now moving into these marginal areas.
Therefore the receding pastures are a major cause of conflict. Different ethics communities want to use one pasture at the same time.
Time has come where these pastures have to be demarcated so that each community knows their boundaries.
Schools
You find that the population of the locals is scanty. Most of the people who attend school in those areas from other parts of the country. This is common in west Pokot where we have good schools.
The girls in Pokot have not been given an upper hand in education we still see a good number of them looking after goats and cattle on the hills where they become an easy prey for men who rape them.
Therefore the government should be strict about the girl child education in these regions.With education most of their current problems shall be solved.
Those who have not gone to schools shall not be left out. There are home industries which can be introduced to help these girls earn their living.
The area around Sigor has a lot of mango pressing machine can be introduced so that the girls and women can make juice. This will earn them some money.
Bee keeping is also an industry which can be encouraged. They produce honey and make co-operatives where they deliver their honey for marketing.
There are a lot of minerals in West Pokot. We see women on the river panning for gold. There women are exploited by private syndicates. They can be organized in societies which will help them in market the gold.
The current syndicates are taking advantage of their ignorance thus fleesing them of their hand earned money.
They can do away with the local goats and introduce hybrid goats which are more economical. They produce which can be sold to increase their earning.
water
The scarcity of water is a major problem in these areas. Women walk for long distances just to get a bail of water.
Here the county government can come and seek for donors who can make bore holes and shallow wells to easy this problem.
In some areas they have bore holes which have not been maintained at all.
In Africa it has been difficulty to maintain existing resources. Therefore the county government can employ specific people to take care of these bore holes.
Communities have been defeated to maintain these bore holes. The write of this report has a shallow well in the Trans Nzioa which has been maintained for the last 12 years.
It is in the schools compound there is close supervision. If it breaks down it is repaired immediately if it were left for the community it would have stalled long ago.
Those which were made at the same time have already stalled. This is working because it is maintained by a specific individual.
Irrigation
In some areas have scanty which may not sustain the crops during the growing seasons. This can supplement by irrigation.
Water melons and other horticultural crops do well in these areas. Women are very industrious with a little support they can do wonders. Katilu in Turkana along the Turkwel river is a good example of this.
Improved life stock
In Baringo some years back there was improved of livestock. Hybrid goats were introduced they are much large than the traditional goats which have been there for many years but yielding little.
The hybrid goats provide milk and beef which is more than that of traditional goats.
Sedentary life
The ideas of pastoral life should be brought an end in this country. Pastoralists should be encouraged to live a sedentary life.
Come together life in communities sharing common social amenities. A settlement scheme should be started with following.
Social amenities provide water, school, market and health centre. Houses can be constructed from local material available.
From the start there should be a polytechnic to produce artisans for the settlement and eventually we have a secondary school and institution of higher learning.
Share this article on social media
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting,
digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading
multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
Controversy at Bomas and how SMS saved CDF Ogolla's career
Natembeya hapless in Mboya, Tuju shadows
IG Koome missed a point on how officers should respond to crisis
Witnesses recall the moment KDF chopper crashed in a peace farm
Devolving health was the right move but handle medics better
Board deals Chinese firm blow in Sh1b KenGen tender
Inside radical legal reforms to transform our mining sector
State mulls blocking Dar gas imports on safety concerns
All set for Japanese used car auction at Naivasha's dry port
Transport CS Murkomen unveils plan to boost domestic flights
join